Germany prepare their test return

Photo: Action from last year's G15 v Switzerland game (Photo: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung)

For our preview we thank German websiteTotal Rugby.

“On Sunday afternoon at one o’clock, after seven years of absence, the German national women’s test team will be reborn, under the official auspices of the DRV on the new artificial turf of Heidelberg rugby club. Their opponents are Switzerland, and although the coaching staff of Alfred Jansen and Marcus Trick expect some defeats in short-term, their objective in their opening game is a win.Coach Trick emphasizes that "Switzerland are good side despite having a smaller player base," as a result of "years of good work", but this is quite a reasonable target, because most of the women in the German squad played last year in a privately organized invitational team, under the guise “G15”, against the same Swiss team. In that game, while the Swiss managed to end the first half only three points behind G15, theylost the game 13-47.As a result, the squad’s objective is an improvement on last year's result as the team are now under the banner of the DRV. Specifically, coaching duo of Trick and Jansen were disappointed with the two tries conceded last year and are looking to learn from the errors made.

The team will meet on Saturday for final preparations before the test, after three training camps at the Heidelberg base. The assistant coaches from the camps, Rene Siegel and Dirk Frase, will be involved in an intensive day of preparations before the match, with a focus will on good coordination of attack and defense, and work on set pieces. Only on the eve of the game will the final squad be announced.However, the absence of Steffi Gruber and the Stone sisters, Alyhsha and Larissa, will be a blow. Gruber returned from the European Sevens Championship with a thigh injury which will keep her out until at least the start of the Frauenbundesliga league season. In addition Alysha Stone cannot participate in the game, according to information from the coaching team, due to professional commitments, while her sister Larissa is also unavailable as a result of academic requirements.This year, the aim for the national team will be wear down the Swiss team’s formidable defense and remain patient, exploiting any gaps which may appear in the second half and so obtain a high score, especially if the Swiss team begins to tire as they did last year. Live scores will appear on theTotal Rugby Livetickerthroughout the game.”

The game is also important preparation for the Swiss, who will be playing in their first World Cup qualifier, which we now know will be in Madrid from 6-15 October.