Seven from Wild, 12 from Thunder named in Ice Ferns England salvages draw
SOUTHERN players make up a good proportion of the New Zealand senior women’s squad announced this week.
A 39strong Ice Ferns squad has been named to prepare for a return to international action next year.
There will be a cut before the team heads to Cape Town to play in the division two group B world championships from February 1026.
Seven women from the Wakatipu Wild team, which won the New Zealand Women’s Ice Hockey League final in Dunedin at the weekend, have earned national selection.
They include forwards Gina Davis, who had three goals and six assists in just four regular season games before scoring in both the semifinal and final, Gaby Mills (six assists in six games), and 17yearold Tallulah Bryant.
Caitlyn Hollyer and Zanzee PielakJones are part of the defensive squadron, and the Wild supplies two goaltenders in Jordan Wichman and Lilly Forbes.
No fewer than 12 players from the Dunedin Thunder women’s team have made the initial Ice Ferns squad.
Dunedin captain Abbey Heale (three goals and three assists in the league) is joined up front by sister Caitlin, Beth Scott, Caitlin Orr, Kate Vernal and Sammy Heyward.
Hannah Cross, Pippa Russek, Rebecca Lilly and Rina Watt join from the defence, and the Thunder supplies two goalies in Breane Byck and Maddy Fox.
Football: England will head to the World Cup on the back of a sixmatch winless sequence but with at least some pride and confidence restored after a thrilling 33 draw at home to Germany in the Nations League yesterday.
The side trailed 20 with less than 20 minutes remaining and boos beginning to resound at Wembley in their final group A3 match. But the home team responded in thrilling fashion with goals by Luke Shaw and Mason Mount in the space of four minutes drawing it level .
Harry Kane’s 83rdminute penalty then appeared to have given Southgate’s side a victory but Germany salvaged a point as Kai Havertz capitalised on a goalkeeping error by Nick Pope in the 87th minute. — Reuters month, saying he would come out of retirement to defend his title in December, a challenge Joshua accepted. Joshua’s 258 Management and promoter Matchroom Boxing had said that they had ‘‘accepted all terms presented to us by Fury’s team’’ but agreed to halt all communication due to the death of Queen Elizabeth.
‘‘It’s official, DDay has come and gone,’’ Fury said on Instagram . ‘‘No contract has been signed. It’s officially over for Joshua. He’s now out in the cold. . . . Forget about it. — AP