By Emily Goddard

Laura Unsworth 190413April 20 - Ten of the women who earned an Olympic bronze medal as part of the Team GB hockey squad at London 2012 have been named among the athletes to feature on the new 29-strong England and Britain line up that will prepare for the Rio 2016 Games.

Kate Walsh, Alex Danson, Emily Maguire, Helen Richardson, Hannah Macleod, Nicola White, Ashleigh Ball, Georgie Twigg, Laura Unsworth (pictured top) and Sally Walton all return to the fold for the new centralised training programme with their sights firmly set on the road ahead.

Jason Lee, the England and Britain women's head coach, has also called upon the experience of Susie Gilbert, Sam Quek, Beckie Herbert and Maddie Hinch, as well as bringing in Giselle Ansley, Steph Elliott, Sarah Haycroft, Jo Leigh, Hollie Webb and Ellie Watton following their successful international debuts at the Investec Challenge in South Africa earlier this year.

Five Scottish athletes also feature in the squad, with new faces Alison Bell, Amy Gibson, Nikki Kidd and Morag McLellan joining London 2012 Olympian Maguire on the British team.

Sophie Bray, Kirsty Mackay, Shona McCallin, Dilly Newton and Susie Townsend complete the line up.

Kate Walsh hockeyKate Walsh "can't wait to see how the team progresses"

"It's very exciting to restart the centralised training programme with a fresh coaching set-up and new faces in the squad," Walsh said.

"We've got a really good blend of youth and experience in the side and looking to the summer ahead, with the Investec World League and the European Championships, I can't wait to see how the team gels and progresses."

England's first world level tournament is due to be on home turf at the Investec World League Semi Final in London on June 22 until 30 and then Scotland will join them in Pool B action at the TriFinance EuroHockey Championships in Antwerp on August 17 until 25.

"The new squad represents a very healthy blend of exciting young talent, those athletes who have already experienced an Olympic cycle and a small group of experienced and world class athletes who understand very well the rigours of Olympic preparation," Lee said.

"With a new coaching team and new athletes, we know there's a lot of hard work to be done before the Investec World League in June, but I'm confident we have the right balance to take us up to the next level over this four year cycle."

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