Great Britain defeated by Japan in final group stage match at The World Games 2025

Great Britain fell to a second defeat in two days after their final group stage match against Japan finished 15-10 at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China earlier today.

The ever-dependable Liv Wimppenny scored four goals for GB but was unable to stop her side falling to defeat against an outstanding Japan side.

GB went into the game knowing victory would see them progress to the semi-final stage of the competition and they started with intent, going two goals ahead after two minutes through Cece Green and Wimpenny.

Japan hit back and levelled things up through Shihome Hosoume and Negai Nakazawa and in the final minute of the first quarter Wimpenny and Atsuko Oda scored to make it 3-3.

The second quarter began in a similar vein for GB with Emmas Oakley and Savage scoring to put their team 5-3 ahead and looking like the team in relative control.

When playing sixes, no one ever truly has control, however, and, with six minutes to go in the second quarter, Japan regrouped to score four without reply from Monika Jones (x2), Chisa Kobayashi, and Kokoro Nakazawa to put their team in the driving seat heading into the third at 7-5.

Another goal early in the third for Japan thanks to K Nakazawa saw them pull three goals ahead before Wimpenny hit her second of the match to make the score 8-6.

This was followed by three goals in four minutes from Japan and Nene Kawai, Jones, and Miho Sakurai, leaving GB with a lot to do going into the fourth, despite a final minute goal from Lottie Robertson to keep her team within four.

Another two goals for Japan through Oda and Jones early in the fourth felt like the killer blow for GB but they rallied and Wimpenny’s fourth goal and another from Minty Loxton gave them a fighting chance with a couple of minutes left on the clock.

But it was too little too late and some clinical finishing from the opposition saw Japan score another two through K Nakazawa and Jones before Chess Gray rounded things off for GB with less than a minute to go in the game.

The result means GB miss out on a place in the semi-finals of the competition and ultimately a top four finish, leaving them to battle it out with Czechia at 3:30am (UK) tomorrow (Sunday 10 August) in the fifth place game.

Elsewhere in Group A, Canada claimed a 25-0 shutout victory against hosts China to win the group and head to the semi-finals with huge momentum; they’ll take on Australia in their semi-final match tomorrow with Japan playing USA.

Follow all the latest from The World Games HERE.

Great Britain 10-15 Japan (3-3, 2-4, 2-4, 3-4)

Great Britain scorers | Liv Wimpenny (4G, 2A), Cece Green (1G, 1A), Emma Oakley (1G, 1A), Chess Gray (1G, 1A), Lottie Robertson (1G, 1A), Emma Savage (1G), Minty Loxton (1G).

Goalie save % | Dylan Whittington 46.43% (13/28).

Clinical Canada clinch Group A victory over Great Britain

Great Britain fell to a narrow 14-10 second day defeat to the world’s number one team Canada at The World Games 2025 earlier today.

Cece Green bagged four goals as her Great Britain team largely matched Canada throughout the 32-minute match but an outstanding third quarter from the opposition eventually saw GB lose for the first time in their second Group A match.

Great Britain started with a bang and found themselves a goal to the good after Lauren Hart netted within two minutes.

Such is the nature of Sixes Lacrosse, however, Canada found themselves back in the game and then 2-1 ahead just a minute later after goals from Erica Evans and Dylana Williams.

With less than four minutes left in the first quarter, Chess Gray scored to get GB back level at 2-2 but Canada had the last laugh after Annabel Child put her team in front with 21 seconds to go.

The second quarter was another back and forth battle with Canada initially pulling two goals ahead through Maddy Baxter before Minty Loxton and Green hit back for GB.

The momentum never truly seemed to swing in GB’s favour and they were always chasing the game: Evans putting Canada 5-4 ahead, Liv Wimpenny equalising for GB, and Nicole Perroni ensuring Canada went in at half-time 6-5 up.

Throughout the history of lacrosse, games have been won and lost in the third quarter and this game was no different.

Gray scored her second to equalise for GB in the first 40 seconds but that was about as good as it got for her side in the third.

Goals from Evans, Baxter, Jordan Dean, and Williams saw Canada pull four goals ahead going into the fourth quarter, leaving GB with a huge hill to climb.

Green and Loxton gave GB some hope, scoring their seventh and eighth goals either side of Canada’s 11th of the game from Evans but three quick-fire goals from Perroni (x2) and Child for Canada effectively ended the contest with four minutes left in the game.

To their credit, Great Britain continued to push right to the final whistle and scored two final goals through Green to finish the match in the ascendancy.

Elsewhere in Group A on day two, Japan, who Great Britain will take on tomorrow, defeated China 18-3.

Today’s results mean Canada currently top Group A with Great Britain in second, ahead of Japan in third on goal difference.

Great Britain will take on Japan in a Group A crunch match at 7:30am (UK) tomorrow (Saturday 9 August) with a semi-final place on the line.

Follow all the latest from The World Games HERE.

Great Britain 10-14 Canada (2-3, 3-3, 1-4, 4-4)

Great Britain scorers | Cece Green (4G), Liv Wimpenny (1G, 2A), Emma Savage (3A), Chess Gray (2G), Minty Loxton (2G), Lauren Hart (1G, 1A), Anna Neville (1A), Lottie Robertson (1A).

Goalie save % | Dylan Whittington 45.45% (5/11), Emilie Chandler 27.27% (3/11).

Opening day joy for Great Britain against China at The World Games 2025

Great Britain started their The World Games 2025 campaign off with a bang as they defeated hosts China 24-2 in their opening game of Group A.

Lottie Robertson, Liv Wimpenny, and Emma Savage were the stand-out players, scoring 15 goals between them, as their team eased their way into the competition in Chengdu on day one.

Great Britain started with huge intensity and direction and sped into a 3-0 lead with just over two minutes gone on the clock after goals from Wimpenny, Robertson, and Anna Neville.

This was merely a sign of things to come for China as GB ended the first quarter with seven more goals to see them head into the second with a 10-goal lead.

Great Britain eased slightly in the second quarter but still managed to put five past Becky Yang in the China goal courtesy of Emma Oakley, Cece Green, Wimpenny, and Savage (x2).

In the third, China opened their The World Games 2025 account after Angela Zou netted past Emilie Chandler in the GB goal but this wasn’t a hint at a second half China comeback as Neville hit back within eight seconds.

Further goals from Hart, Wimpenny, and Loxton saw GB take a 19-1 lead into the final eight-minute quarter.

As in the third quarter, China scored the first goal of the fourth through Lee Chen which again seemed to kickstart GB as they replied with goals from Green, Wimpenny, Robertson, and Savage (x2) to seal a 24-2 victory.

It’s worth noting Great Britain’s two goalies Dylan Whittington and Emilie Chandler, who between them saved 12 of China’s 14 shots seeing them finish with a respective 100% and 78% save record.

Elsewhere in Group A on opening day, Canada beat Japan 20-5 meaning Great Britain sit in top spot on goal difference after game-day one.

Great Britain will take on second-placed Canada at 2am (UK) tomorrow (Friday 8 August) and you can follow all the latest from The World Games HERE.

China 2-24 Great Britain (0-10, 0-5, 1-4, 1-5)

Great Britain scorers | Lottie Robertson (5G, 3A), Liv Wimpenny (5G, 1A), Emily Gray (1G, 5A), Emma Savage (5G), Cece Green (2G, 3A), Lauren Hart (1G, 4A), Minty Loxton (2G, 1A), Anna Neville (2G), Emma Oakley (1G, 1A).

Goalie save % | Dylan Whittington 100% (5/5), Emilie Chandler 77.78% (7/9) .

Emily Gray readies herself for third The World Games appearance

England & Great Britain veteran Emily Gray will compete at her third The World Games when she takes to the field tomorrow morning in Chengdu, China but the feeling of competing for her nation never gets old.

“The thing I'm looking forward to the most about Chengdu and The World Games is the multi-sport event and to showcase lacrosse being a new and big sport in LA 2028.”

Great Britain will take on China, Canada, and Japan in Group A over the next three days before placement and medal matches on Sunday and Monday and Gray believes the squad is suitably prepared.

“We toured Japan which was a great test for us as a squad,” Gray told the British Lacrosse Instagram channel, “and we took our reserves as well, which was an exciting opportunity for us to get lots of matches under our belt in preparation, and for us to be able to practice everything we've worked on tactically. I think that was a great chance for us to test ourselves against some of the top teams in Japan and against their national side.”

The 35-year-old, who made her England senior debut against Japan in 2008, is now a part of the Great Britain leadership team and the two-time World Championship bronze medallist never takes that sort of recognition for granted.

“It’s been a highlight. It's been exciting to lead the squad in different matches but also everyone really just comes together against all the different nations and we really feel like we're together as one team.”

In terms of role models and inspirations, Gray doesn’t look further than one of the stars of the London 2012 Olympic Games Jessica Ennis-Hill.

“Somebody I'd say I probably look up to is somebody like Jess Ennis-Hill. I think she's an inspirational role model to a lot of people and I think that just shows that she's very dedicated, committed, and puts in a lot of work behind the scenes that probably you don't necessarily know or see as an athlete and especially as an individual one. I think that's admirable to see that - it's solely on her, everything that she has achieved, she's given everything.”

Gray and Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

England & GB goalie Dylan Whittington looks ahead to The World Games 2025

As England and Great Britain goalie Dylan Whittington continues to prepare to make her mark on the world stage for the first time in her career at The World Games in Chengdu, China on Thursday, she been chatting to the British Lacrosse Instagram channel.

“For me personally, it's another step up and I'm excited for the challenge but as a team we're just doing kind of lots of trainings.

“I think there might be potential for a social gathering beforehand if Cece [Green] our social secretary can get that booked in.”

It’s no secret that the sixes version of lacrosse is very different from the traditional 10-a-side format, especially for those who stand between the pipes, something which Whittington has been relishing with Great Britain.

“The biggest difference I’ve found is if the ball goes wide in 10s and the other team is closer to the ball, they'll get it back. But in sixes, if you leave the ball, it's mine or ours. So being able to kind of balance between knowing when to go for a shot and not go for a shot, and whether you want to go for that tip and potentially get that save, or leave it and know that you're going to get the ball back, that's the biggest difference I've found.

“I mean, I've loved having more shots. It makes games much more exciting. Goalies can impact the game a lot more, which I really enjoy.”

Many athletes across all sports have a range of pre-game rituals and superstitions that help them get into the zone before playing and Whittington is no different.

“I love an energy drink,” Whittington said, “I think everyone on the team knows that. I probably drink the most out of anyone. So I have that.

“I also love to have a little dance in the changing room and a bit of a sing-along, and then, this is the weirdest thing, when I step onto the pitch each quarter, I have to tap my head three times and do a little breathing routine. And I do that before each quarter that I'm on, and that's just my little thing.”

Whittington and her Great Britain team begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

"We've got the most incredible opportunity" | England & GB star, Anna Neville

“I'm super hyped. I think the team's just extremely pumped, especially after [the final training weekend].”

Those are the words of England and Great Britain star Anna Neville ahead of her debut at The World Games in just three days’ time.

Her Great Britain team will take on the hosts and fellow Group A opponents China in Chengdu on Thursday morning and Neville feels it’s a big moment for everyone involved.

“I think we've just got the most incredible opportunity to show the world what we're made of. And especially, we've been training so hard this year […] and I just think we have nothing to lose.”

Neville, speaking to the British Lacrosse Instagram channel, wanted to impress the hard work that goes on behind the scenes and that quite often goes unnoticed and under-appreciated.

“We've been working hard on and off the pitch. Behind the scenes, a lot goes on. We’ve all got full-time jobs and we've been working really cohesively with our Strength & Conditioning team, with our physios and our Head Coach to make sure that we're as ready as we can be.

“Off the pitch, we're sending in sweaty selfies, we're keeping morale high, we're checking on teammates, and it doesn't feel like an individual preparation. I feel like it's very much a team. We're there together.”

Back in October, British Lacrosse sent two teams to North America to compete separately in the Canada Super Sixes tournament and the American Lacrosse Experience, something which Neville believes has been an integral part of the team’s preparations for The World Games.

“It's been an amazing season. I think we've just pushed each other to be the best we can be. We started in October going to Indianapolis - half went to Indianapolis, half went to Canada - and I think that was an amazing opportunity just to know what we needed to bring and what we could bring. And I think we've just learned and grown and grown and grown since then.”

Indeed, at the Canada Super Sixes, Great Britain pulled off a huge coup in defeating the hosts in their own back yard.

“We got to play some really high teams,” Neville said, “and the team that went to Canada played Canada and beat Canada, which was such a moment. And we were so happy for the team. And it just shows the depth within the GB squad. We can go out, put two amazing teams out, and be feisty and fight for every win.”

Neville has been inspired, ahead of The World Games, by some of the people closest to her like her teammates, family, and friends but wanted to single out one specific team who have captivated the nation in recent years.

“We've been watching the Lionesses recently, and their resilience, determination, especially in their game recently against Sweden, they completely turned that around, and to be able to look up to them is incredible, and we're very aware they put in so much time and effort and we want to try to replicate that.”

Neville and Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

England and GB athlete Lauren Hart speaks to British Lacrosse on eve of The World Games 2025

On the day that the Great Britain squad landed in Chengdu, China ahead of The World Games 2025, England & GB player Lauren Hart spoke to the British Lacrosse Instagram channel about her preparation for the tournament, studying in the US, and what she hopes to achieve at this year’s event.

“I am most excited to play as a team,” Hart told British Lacrosse, “and accomplish our goals and push the boundaries that British Lacrosse hasn't done yet.”

Having studied for her undergraduate degree in the US and playing lacrosse for the University of California , Davis, Hart recently relocated over the pond to continue her studies at the University of Exeter alongside a number of fellow England and Great Britain athletes.

“It's been a great experience. We've built the programme and we got to compete in the National Championship for lacrosse. It's been a great experience learning more about the system here in the UK and figuring out how we can grow as a sport here and continue to get better.”

Moving away from home and studying in England has been a big change for the 22-year-old but one she sees as an integral part of her personal and athletic growth.

“I think it's just great to see the development and my learning process,” said Hart, “because when I first started this year, I hadn't really had that much sixes experience, but I think now I can say I'm a little bit more seasoned. And it's just exciting to get to learn from every opportunity we get on and off the pitch.”

Being selected for the Great Britain squad for The World Games has seen Hart travel across the world and, she believes, has helped her to become a better all-round player.

“This year started off with a great experience in Indianapolis where we got to play against some of the best teams in the world. And I think that, from that experience, we've only grown and got better.

“Individually, I've been trying to focus on my in-tight dodging, my 1v1 defending, just trying my best to stay in shape over the summer and keep hitting the wall.”

Hart and Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the pandas" | England & Great Britain's Cece Green on The World Games

Great Britain will take to the field in Chengdu, China, in five days as they take on China in their opening Group A match at The World Games 2025 and England and GB player Cece Green simply cannot wait.

Speaking to British Lacrosse’s Instagram channel, Green said, “I’m looking forward to playing some amazing lacrosse against some amazing teams that we've never played the likes of before. I'm also really looking forward to going to China and seeing the pandas.”

Green will be making her The World Games debut this year after breaking into the senior England team over the past couple of years, becoming a European champion in 2024. Since that competition, Green’s focus has been almost entirely on Great Britain and The World Games.

“As a team,” Green said, “we've had loads of squad weekends which have just been great and we feel like we've grown so much and I think we're very lucky to get such good support from S&C to make sure we're as fit as we can be.”

Within the Great Britain squad, Green has an extra special role as team social secretary where she is tasked with planning social excursions for the players and staff outside of playing lacrosse.

“I’ve been inspired by Claudia Winkleman to play some Traitors when we're [in China]. Also maybe Assassins, which is another very good game that we like playing, and a book club to decompress and unwind. And we'll see as the tournament goes what else we'll get up to.”

Back to the lacrosse and Green, having played the traditional 10-a-side version of the sport since she was younger, has found the transition to the sixes format fairly seamless, despite a few hiccups early on.

“I think initially it was hard because I think to be a good sixes player you obviously have to be a good attacker but you also have to be a really strong defender too.

“I think our coaches have put in some amazing work to make sure that all the straight attackers feel just as comfortable in defence and I actually love it now. I'm equally as happy when the ball is down in defence and pushing out hard, putting on lots of pressure. I feel like I finally feel really confident now which is great.”

She’s so excited about the sixes format that’ll be on show at the Olympic Games in LA in 2028 that, when asked which discipline of lacrosse she would play for the rest of her life if she had to choose, she picked sixes.

“I think it's the funnest form of lacrosse, and I feel like there's still so many more fun, creative things that we can try. Even looking at the progress that we've made over the past year, thinking about how far we could change the sport over the next few years, looks super promising.”

Green and Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

Newly qualified doctor Emma Savage on competing at The World Games

“I'm really excited to play in my first big competition with British Lacrosse and be there with some of my best friends who are also on the team.”

Those are the initial thoughts of England and Great Britain star Emma Savage who is gearing up to compete in The World Games for the first time in six days’ time on the other side of the world in Chengdu, China.

With lacrosse being an amateur sport in England and funding almost entirely by the athletes themselves, lacrosse players have a lot going on and it’s no different for Savage.

“It's been a hectic year. I've just finished medical school and I'm graduating as a doctor next week, so watch out in the hospitals! It's been crazy, but also really exciting and fun to have lacrosse as an outlet.”

Savage has been in and around the Great Britain team for two years now and won her first major title with England last year at the 2024 Euros, not bad for an athlete who has just celebrated her 23rd birthday.

Recently the British Lacrosse squad travelled to Japan, something Savage says was vital for their preparations ahead of the World Games.

“We've just recently been to Japan and played some high-level matches against them, which was really good to prepare, because we're also playing them in China. I've been carbing up, eating lots of food, been going to the gym, and generally been getting fit.”

Off the field, Savage is a big fan of social media platform TikTok and helps to run the England and British Lacrosse accounts, even if some of her team mates are not as enthusiastic.

“My favourite team bonding activity is making TikTok dances with my friends. Even if they don’t want to be in them initially, they end up loving them!

“I get a lot of my TikTok inspiration from [USA American Rugby Union player] Ilona Maher. She is hilarious and I think I try to replicate her banter, but it definitely doesn't work. But I'm growing, so follow me on TikTok!”

Savage and her Great Britain team begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

England's Minty Loxton on making her The World Games debut in 2025

The lacrosse competition at The World Games 2025 starts in just seven days’ time featuring Great Britain and to mark the occasion England and GB player Minty Loxton has been telling the British Lacrosse Instagram channel that she’s excited to take part in the competition for the first time.

“I'm really excited,” Loxton said, “to play some teams I've never played before in a high-level competition and to put in all the practice that we've had all over the field in terms of preparation, recovery, and performance.”

It’s been a whirlwind few years for the 23-year-old who picked up her first European title with England in 2024 and has very quickly become a vital player for both England and Great Britain.

Loxton recently returned from injury to compete at this year’s The Fly competition, meaning her preparation for The World Games has been slightly different from others in the Great Britain squad.

“I'd say my preparation has probably been different from most other members of the squad,” she said, “I was out with an injury for about six months. So it was a lot of rehabilitation and a lot of getting back to full fitness so I could go ahead. I've been back for about two months and have been building since I got back this summer and I'm so excited to put it all together now on the pitch.”

Having made her return at The Fly Sixes Lacrosse League 2025 where she helped her Hustle team to a second place finish playing the sixes version of lacrosse, Loxton described how excited she is about the Olympic format of the game.

“I love sixes so much,” Loxton said, “I think the sixes game is so speedy, it's so fast. It's a great spectator sport and, of course, being included in the Olympics has given everyone another goal, another drive to reach.

“It's helped us as a squad, and I think you can see it, to reach another level which is great. And as an individual, I love the sixes format, the speediness, seeing both sides of the ball is great. Seeing different levels that you wouldn't see in the traditional 10-a-side game. It's all go, go, go!”

In terms of a highlight from her short but action-packed Great Britain career so far, Loxton references last year’s Canada Super Sixes event that saw GB defeat their hosts in their own back-yard.

“My highlight would definitely be our overtime win against Canada in October. We were out at the Canada Super Sixes - some of the squad went there and some of the squad went to Indianapolis for a tournament called the American Experience.

“We had some really competitive matches. Sixes always feels competitive in my eyes, which I really enjoy because of the shot clock, because of the fast pace, but these were close games. And that overtime win was definitely a good thing.”

Loxton and Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign at 7:30am (UK) on 7 August in Chengdu against hosts China in Group A.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

England & Great Britain captain Emma Oakley on leading her nation on the international stage

With lacrosse returning to The World Games for a third appearance in eight days’ time, England and Great Britain captain Emma Oakley has been speaking to British Lacrosse’s Instagram channel about the competition, her team’s chances, and how she’s been preparing.

“I just can't wait to show the world what we've been practicing with the team,” Oakley said, “we're such a good unit, we're such good friends, and I just can't wait to go out and enjoy the time out there.”

Preparation is the key for Oakley, affectionately known as EO by her teammates, and it’s been a three-year build-up since the last iteration of The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama in 2022.

“I guess we've been preparing for Chengdu for a while now. We've got a really fresh young group that we've been building for the last three years. We’ve put in so much work in terms of our strength programme, conditioning, but then also all of our kind of big team training sessions, and we've just come off a very wet and windy training session out in the UK.”

Since 2022, Oakley has continued to grow in her role as a leader, helping England to secure an eighth Euros title as one of three captains last year.

More recently, though, Oakley’s Great Britain squad travelled to East Asia to get a feel for the possible conditions in the region ahead of The World Games and to take in friendly matches against fellow Group A opponents Japan.

“The Japan trip was incredible. We played a few of the Japanese universities, clubs, and colleges and then we went into a few tests versus Japan themselves. We had a great time with the team, and I think we’ve built loads so I’m excited to see what we can do at The World Games.”

Speaking about being chosen as one of the captains to lead Great Britain at The World Games 2025, Oakley said:

“I'm really excited to captain the team going into Chengdu because we've got a brilliant team. It's a brilliant unit already. And actually, my job is just to ensure that we stay together. We've got a brilliant leadership group, so it's not just on me at all. We've got players across different areas of the game. I'm really excited to come together as a group and just go forward.”

Great Britain begin their The World Games campaign against China on Thursday 7 August at 7:30am (UK). For more information about the competition, click HERE.

England goalie Emilie Chandler can't wait to represent GB at The World Games 2025

As England goalie Emilie Chandler prepares for a third appearance at The World Games for Great Britain in Chengdu, China in nine days, she’s told British Lacrosse’s Instagram channel that she’s really looking forward to seeing the competition in a new country and a new part of the world.

“I think I’m excited for the experience of a new country. It's actually my third The World Games, so I'm really excited to see the difference. We've had Poland, we've had America, and now we've got China, so it'll be really, really cool.”

The smaller-sided sixes version of lacrosse is played at The World Games and will also be showcased at the Olympic Games in LA in 2028 and Chandler has taken to it like a duck to water, winning four The Fly titles since 2021.

“I love it”, Chandler said, “I love how back and forth it is, how fast it is. We can never rest, which is amazing. Usually, in the 10-a-side game, you start twiddling your thumbs sometimes, whereas I can't do that in sixes. So I’m always on and always barking at players and just always seeing shots, which is so cool because I’m so involved in the game.”

Chandler has been a stalwart of the Great Britain team since its reincarnation as British Lacrosse a few years ago and she has faced several formidable opponents in that time including at last year’s Canada Super Sixes.

“Canada was amazing. We obviously went to America first, then Canada. We beat Canada and it was so, so fun. It was so intense. We had so many games in such a little amount of time, and top-quality games that you get to actually see in Canada.”

Chandler will take to the field in nine days when Great Britain play China in their opening Group A game at The World Games before playing Canada and Japan later in the competition.

For more information about the competition, click HERE.

Chris Russell appointed British Lacrosse Olympic Performance Lead

Phot Credit | Thomas Wesley

Chris Russell has been appointed as the British Lacrosse Olympic Performance Lead as lacrosse continues to prepare for its return to the Olympic Games in 2028. 

Since 2024, Russell has been an Independent Non-Executive Director on the British Lacrosse Board as well as Performance Director and he brings a wealth of experience from the world of high-performance sport with over 30 years dedicated to the sport of sailing. 

From being an athlete to working in the development of the sport, and from being an Olympic team coach to working within the management structures, Russell has overseen the execution of high-performance strategies for Olympic programmes, most recently at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Russell also brings a strong background in leadership, athlete and partnership management, strategic planning, and advertising, having served on a number of Board structures over the years and running a non-profit foundation designed to support world-class athletes from a variety of sports in realising their potential. 

As British Lacrosse’s Olympic Performance Lead, Russell will play a pivotal role in realising the organisation’s medal-winning targets over the coming years, including at The World Games, European and World Championships, and, of course, the LA 2028 Olympic Games.  

He will work with the British Lacrosse Board and other stakeholders to shape British Lacrosse’s men’s and women’s national teams’ performance as they seek Olympic qualification to and success at the Olympics in three years’ time. 

British Lacrosse is at the forefront of the opportunities being presented as a new Olympic sport, and lacrosse more broadly has a proud track record of international success that Russell will seek to continue into the future. 

Upon being appointed, Russell said: 

"I feel privileged and excited to have been given this opportunity as Performance Lead, and I'm looking forward to continuing to build on the high-performance culture at British Lacrosse. The past six months, in my interim role, have been some of the most rewarding of my career. 

"With lacrosse returning to the Olympic family in LA, it represents an incredibly exciting time for everyone involved in the game. I feel fortunate to be able to support our group of incredibly talented athletes in realising their potential, and working alongside our dedicated group of staff who have long been the lifeforce of British Lacrosse." 

British Lacrosse Chief Operating Officer and England Lacrosse CEO, Mark Coups, said: 

“We’re delighted that such an experienced individual as Chris has been appointed to take British Lacrosse and the sport forward over the next three years. 

“It can’t be understated what an incredible opportunity it is to have lacrosse in the Olympic Games in 2028 and we at England Lacrosse look forward to continuing to work with Chris over the next few years.” 

10 English players selected as part of British Lacrosse's World Games squad

10 English players have been selected as part of British Lacrosse’s squad heading to Chengdu, China in August for The World Games 2025.

Some of England’s brightest stars will join with British Lacrosse in two months, including 2024 Euros winners Emilie Chandler, Emily Gray, Cece Green, Minty Loxton, Anna Neville, Emma Oakley, Emma Savage, Dylan Whittington, and Liv Wimpenny.

Lauren Hart, who featured for England at the Home Internationals Series earlier this year, has also been selected and means English players make up over 83% of the squad.

Taking place from 7-11 August, the lacrosse competition will see eight teams, including Great Britain, China, USA, Canada, Australia, Czechia, Japan, and Ireland, battle it out to be crowned the 2025 title-winners.

The tournament features the Olympic sixes version of the sport that will be on show at LA28 in just three years’ time.

For more information about British Lacrosse, click HERE, and for more information about The World Games, click HERE.

British Lacrosse Squad

Emilie Chandler
Chess Gray
Emily Gray
Cece Green
Lauren Hart
Minty Loxton
Anna Neville
Emma Oakley
Lottie Robertson
Emma Savage
Dylan Whittington
Liv Wimpenny

12 England stars join British Lacrosse's Japan tour

12 England stars have been selected as part of the latest British Lacrosse women’s squad touring Japan ahead of The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China in August.

Emilie Chandler, Emily Gray, Cece Green, Lauren Hart, Minty Loxton, Laura Merrifield, Anna Neville, Emma Oakley, Sienna Parekh, Emma Savage, Dylan Whittington, and Liv Wimpenny have all travelled to Asia as part of a 16-strong squad.

The latest tour to Japan will see the British Lacrosse team take in matches against Japan and a couple of Japanese University sides alongside team training sessions and the occasional excursion.

Having arrived in Tokyo yesterday (Monday 9 June), the squad held a training session before being invited to a special meeting at the British Embassy in the city where they met Japanese officials.

The tour comes just two months before British Lacrosse make their return to The World Games in August, where they’ll be looking to equal or better their fourth place finish at the 2022 edition, and only three years before the 2028 Olympic Games in LA.

For more information about British Lacrosse, head to their website HERE or follow them on Instagram HERE.

British Lacrosse Squad | Japan Tour

Emilie Chandler
Zoe Dickson
Chess Gray
Emily Gray
Cece Green
Lauren Hart
Minty Loxton
Laura Merrifield
Anna Neville
Emma Oakley
Sienna Parekh
Lottie Robertson
Emma Savage
Hannah Whiteley
Dylan Whittington
Liv Wimpenny

Staff

Erica Erb
Andrew Jones
Rich Lalor
Kate Nelson-Lee
Ailsa Scott
Thomas Wesley

British Lacrosse Vacancy | Olympic Performance Lead (Part-Time)

As British Lacrosse returns to the Olympic arena, they are seeking a high-performance leader to join the team and help to realise the performance potential of GB’s most talented lacrosse athletes.

This role will be pivotal in realising British Lacrosse’s medal winning targets over the coming years, including The World Games, European & World Championships, and the LA 2028 Olympic Games. 

This Lead role presents a unique opportunity in elite sport for a passionate individual to shape British Lacrosse's Men’s and Women’s national teams’ performance as they seek Olympic qualification to and success at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

British Lacrosse is looking for an enthusiastic, dedicated, and experienced individual to lead the Performance Programme, develop their understanding of navigating a new lacrosse Olympic landscape, and shape the work of their coaching and support staff.

British Lacrosse is at the forefront of the opportunities being presented as a new Olympic sport, and will expect the successful applicant to lead in realising these opportunities.

Lacrosse has a proud track record of international success, and the successful candidate will have the immediate task of developing the British Lacrosse teams for the World and European Championship qualifying events prior to the LA 28 Games.

To view the full Performance Lead job description, please click HERE.

For more information about British Lacrosse, click HERE.

Position: Part Time sports consultant. Flexible working.

Salary: £50,000 pro rata, per annum.

Location: Home-based (with domestic and international travel as required).

Responsible to: Chief Operating Officer and British Lacrosse Board.

Application closing date:  Monday 28 April 2025

How to apply

To submit an application for this position, please email the following documents to [email protected]:

· Cover Letter highlighting your motivation for the post and relevant experience. 

· Up to date CV.

· Complete Equalities monitoring form – via this link Typeform.com

If assistance is required to submit application via post, please get in touch. 

Ireland and Czechia join GB as final World Games 2025 places secured

Ireland and Czechia secured their places at The World Games 2025 with semi-final wins at the 2025 EuroLax Sixes Cup in Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal over the weekend.

With USA, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain having already qualified for the Games by finishing in the top four at the 2022 competition, China qualifying as hosts, and Japan as the Pan-Asia regional qualifiers, there were just two spots up for grabs as 12 European teams came together for the EuroLax Sixes Cup.

And after six days of competition, Ireland confirmed their place at August’s World Games by defeating Israel in an over-time thriller that finished 11-10 while Czechia booked their spot with a huge 15-5 win over Germany.

Ireland claimed the 2025 EuroLax trophy with a tight 12-11 win against Czechia but the big prize was already won with both teams heading Chengdu, China to take part in The World Games from 7-11 August.

Czechia will make their second appearance at The World Games after competing in the sixes competition in 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ireland will make their debut in the event after a strong year for its various women’s teams, participating in the European Women’s Lacrosse Championship, the World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship and the World Lacrosse Women’s Box Championship.

Great Britain will feature in the competition for the third time after finishing fourth in both 2017 and 2022.

For more information about The World Games 2025, click HERE.

British Lacrosse score friendly wins over Germany

British Lacrosse men secured three friendly wins over Germany in Manchester last weekend as they continue to build with the 2028 LA Olympic Games just under four years away.

Three separate 12-player British Lacrosse squads competed in the games, with a development team match on Friday at Hough End Leisure Centre ending in a narrow 24-23 win for British Lacrosse.

Thom Gillbrook was a stand-out performer in that one with five goals and one assist during the game. Josh Clegg and Drew Wilkinson also showed their talents with eight goals and three assists between them.

In the two senior games at Belle Vue Leisure Centre on Sunday, British Lacrosse completed a clean sweep of victories over Europe’s fifth best side after 24-10 and 22-19 wins.

The ever-dependable Ryan Hunns hit five goals and five assists in the second of the two senior games with Nick DeCaprio also scoring five.

In the first senior game, Will Prescott, Alex Russell, and Tom Roper blew Germany away with four, three, and four goals respectively and scoring almost half of British Lacrosse’s goals in that match.

For more information about British Lacrosse, click HERE.

Development Game | British Lacrosse 24-23 Germany

British Lacrosse scorers: Thom Gilbrook (5G, 1A), Josh Clegg (4G, 2A), Drew Wilkinson (4G, 1A), Will Brown (2G, 2A), Josh Poke (3G), Ben Jackson (2G, 1A), Jim Hartley (2G), Jack Dearden (2A), Daniel Flisk (1G).

Senior Game 1 | British Lacrosse 24-10 Germany

British Lacrosse scorers: Will Prescott (4G, 2A), Alex Russell (3G, 2A), Tom Roper (4G), Drew Bickerton (2G, 2A), Lyndon Bunio (2G, 1A), Ryan Sweetman (2G, 1A), Ben Page-Laycock (1G, 3A), Tommy Kirkland (2G), Mike Pomfret (2G), Will Shirt (1G).

Game 2 | British Lacrosse 22-19 Germany

British Lacrosse scorers: Ryan Hunns (5G, 5A), Nick DeCaprio (5G), Tom Roper (3G, 1A), Dan Watson (3G), Tomos Rosser (1G, 2A), Tim Collins (2G), Dan Hilditch (1G, 1A), Jamie Powell (1G, 1A), Josh Simpson-Pink (1A)

British Lacrosse Squads

Development Team

Will Brown
Josh Clegg
Jack Dearden
Dan Flisk
Will Greaves
Jim Hartley
Elliott Hurry
Ben Jackson
Jamie Mochan
Josh Poke
Joachim Ruby
Drew Wilkinson

Senior Team | Game 1

Hal Dwobeng
William Baxter
Drew Bickerton
Tom Bracegirdle
Lyndon Bunio
Tommy Kirkland
Ben Page-Laycock
Mike Pomfret
Will Prescott
Tom Roper
Alex Russell
Will Shirt

Senior Team | Game 2

Hal Dwobeng
William Baxter
Tim Collins
Nick DeCaprio
Danny Hilditch
Ryan Hunns
Jamie Powell
Tomos Rosser
Josh Simpson-Pink
Ryan Sweetman
Matt Tatton
Dan Watson

British Lacrosse Head Coach to talk Sixes Lacrosse on Sheffield Live radio

British Lacrosse men’s Head Coach Tom Wenham will be the main guest on The Live Science Radio Show on Sheffield Live on Saturday 23 November to talk about his lacrosse journey and how sports science is used in preparing an elite team to compete at a world level.

On air from 11am-12pm on 93.2 FM or via the Sheffield Live website, the show will also be available to listen online for one month afterwards.

British Lacrosse men’s Head Coach Tom Wenham has been in post since December 2020 and has built his team over the past four years that has seen them compete in competitions such as the 2023 Hong Kong Sixes, the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience, and The World Games 2022 where his side finished fourth.

As the road to the LA 2028 Olympics Games continues, 2025 will be another big year for British Lacrosse who will send teams to The World Games in China (women only), the Hong Kong Sixes, and on tour to USA/Canada.

For more information about British Lacrosse, visit their website HERE.

To listen to British Lacrosse Head Coach Tom Wenham on The Live Science Radio Show from 11am, tune in to 93.2 FM in the Sheffield area or listen live online HERE.

British Lacrosse teams take part in USA Lacrosse Experience and World Lacrosse Super Sixes

British Lacrosse teams took part in two overseas tournaments last weekend, taking on some of the best teams and players in the world, in the latest part of their journey towards the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

A British Lacrosse men’s and women’s team competed at the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA on 11 and 12 October, taking on Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the United States.

The British Lacrosse women’s team came away with two wins against Puerto Rico (17-3) and Colombia (32-1) alongside a 22-9 defeat to the USA as Phil Collier’s side took part in the first international sixes competition since the conclusion of the 2024 Olympics.

Liv Wimpenny and Torz Anderson were two of British Lacrosse’s stand-out performers scoring 21 points between them over the three games.

In the men’s competition, British Lacrosse left Indiana with one 21-18 win over Colombia and two defeats courtesy of Puerto Rico (16-14) and the USA (26-17).

Head Coach Tom Wenham will be pleased with his team’s efforts in the two defeats, however, despite a slow opening quarter against Puerto Rico proving to be the deciding factor in that loss; to stay within nine points of the USA in a game of Sixes Lacrosse is no mean feat.

Lyndon Bunio, fresh from becoming the all-time top points scorer for the England box team, continued his blistering points scoring run with 15 over the three games while Alex Russell and Drew Bickerton showed why they’re two of British Lacrosse’s and England’s brightest sparks scoring 12 and 11 points respectively.

Across the border in Coquitlam, Canada, British Lacrosse also sent a women’s team to compete in the 2024 World Lacrosse Super Sixes tournament.

They played matches against Haudenosaunee and Canada playing each team twice over 11, 12, and 13 October, proving they can compete against some of the best in world.

The round robin stage saw British Lacrosse claim two wins over Haudenosaunee as well as a famous 12-11 sudden-death over-time win over Canada; their other game against the hosts ended in defeat.

This set up a third match against Haudenosaunee in the semi-final which British Lacrosse were unable to get through, losing narrowly 11-9 and finishing the tournament in third place but with a great deal of optimism for the future.

For more information about the USA Lacrosse Experience, click HERE, and to watch every British Lacrosse game from the World Lacrosse Super Sixes event, click HERE.

USA Lacrosse Experience

Men

Puerto Rico 16-14 British Lacrosse (5-2, 4-3, 4-5, 3-4)

British Lacrosse scorers | Alex Russell (3G, 2A), Lyndon Bunio (3G, 1A), Drew Bickerton (2G, 2A), Ben Page-Laycock (3G), Dan Jones (2G, 1A), Ryan Hunns (2A), Will Prescott (1G).

British Lacrosse saves | William Baxter 8 (9 goals against), Hal Dwobeng 7 (7 goals against).

British Lacrosse 21-18 Colombia (7-4, 6-8, 3-4, 5-2)

British Lacrosse scorers | Drew Bickerton (3G, 3A), Ben Page-Laycock (4G, 1A), Ryan Hunns (3G, 1A), Lyndon Bunio (2G, 1A), Tommy Kirkland (2G), Mike Pomfret (2G), Daniel Jones (1G, 1A), Will Prescott (1G), Alex Russell (2G, 1A), Luke Mills-Doig (1G), Will Shirt (1A).

British Lacrosse saves | Hal Dwobeng 4 (12 goals against), William Baxter 12 (6 goals against).

United States 26-17 British Lacrosse (5-3, 6-3, 7-4, 8-7)

British Lacrosse scorers | Lyndon Bunio (6G, 2A), Daniel Jones (5G), Alex Russell (1G, 3A), William Shirt (2G), Ben Page-Laycock (1G, 1A), William Prescott (1G), Tomos Rosser (1G), Drew Bickerton (1A), Ryan Hunns (1A).

British Lacrosse saves | William Baxter 8 (11 goals against), Hal Dwoweng 4 (11 goals against).

Women

British Lacrosse 17-13 Puerto Rico (4-4, 3-3, 9-2, 1-3)

British Lacrosse scorers | Georgie Southorn (5G), Lottie Robertson (2G, 2A), Liv Wimpenny (2G, 2A), Torz Anderson (3G), Alice Ripper (1G, 2A), Anna Neville (1G), Emma Oakley (1G), Tilly Shires (1G), Sofia Wise (1G), Sienna Parekh (1A), Emma Savage (1A), Dylan Whittington (1A).

British Lacrosse saves | Sienna Parekh 9 (10 goals against), Dylan Whittington 3 (3 goals against).

British Lacrosse 32-1 Colombia (11-1, 4-0, 9-0, 8-0)

British Lacrosse scorers | Torz Anderson (3G, 4A), Liv Wimpenny (5G, 1A), Sofia Wise (4G, 2A), Tilly Shires (4G, 1A), Anna Neville (3G, 1A), Alice Ripper (3G, 1A), Lauren Hart (2G, 1A), Emma Oakley (2G, 1A), Emma Savage (2G, 1A), Lottie Robertson (2G), Georgie Southorn (2G), Sienna Parekh (1A).

British Lacrosse saves | Sienna Parekh 5 (1 goal against).

United States 22-9 British Lacrosse (3-2, 9-4, 4-2, 6-1)

British Lacrosse scorers | Anna Neville (3G), Sofia Wise (2G), Emma Oakley (1G), Alice Ripper (1G, 1A), Emma Savage (1G, 1A), Liv Wimpenny (1G), Lottie Robertson (1A).

British Lacrosse saves | Dylan Whittington 10 (13 goals against), Sienna Parekh 4 (9 goals against).

British Lacrosse Total Scoring (USA Lacrosse Experience)

1. Lyndon Bunio | 15 (11G, 4A)

2. Alex Russell | 12 (6G, 6A)

3. Liv Wimpenny | 11 (8G, 3A)

4. Drew Bickerton | 11 (5G, 6A)

5. Dan Jones | 10 (8G, 2A)

6. Ben Page-Laycock | 10 (8G, 2A)

7. Torz Anderson | 10 (6G, 4A)

8. Sofia Wise | 9 (7G, 2A)

9. Alice Ripper | 9 (5G, 4A)

10. Anna Neville | 8 (7G, 1A)

11. Georgie Southorn | 7 (7G)

12. Lottie Robertson | 7 (4G, 3A)

13. Ryan Hunns | 7 (3G, 4A)

14. Tilly Shires | 6 (5G, 1A)

15. Emma Savage | 6 (3G, 3A)

16. Emma Oakley | 5 (4G, 1A)

17. Will Prescott | 3 (3G)

18. Lauren Hart | 3 (2G, 1A)

19. Will Shirt | 3 (2G, 1A)

20. Tommy Kirkland | 2 (2G)

21. Mike Pomfret | 2 (2G)

22. Sienna Parekh | 2 (2A)

23. Luke Mills-Doig | 1 (1G)

24. Tomos Rosser | 1(1G)

25. Dylan Whittington | 1 (1A)

Canada Super Sixes

Women

British Lacrosse 11-8 Haudenosaunee (1-2; 7-1; 2-1; 2-4)
BL Scorers: Hannah Whiteley (2G, 1A), Chess Gray (2G), Minty Loxton (2G), Anna Saunter (2G), Emily Gray (1G, 1A), Julie Wise (1G, 1A), Cece Green (1G), Millie Hughes (1G), Lucy Devine (1A), Loulou Rowlands (1A)

British Lacrosse 13-14 Canada (5-3; 1-4; 5-5; 2-2)
BL Scorers: Loulou Rowlands (3G, 1A), Cece Green (2G, 1A), Minty Loxton (2G, 1A), Ella Cohen (2G), Millie Hughes (2G), Georgie Greenwood (1G), Hannah Whiteley (1G), Chess Gray (2A), Lucy Devine (1A)

British Lacrosse 12-11 Canada (OT) 2-3; 3-3; 5-1; 1-4; 1-0)
BL Scorers: Minty Loxton (3G, 3A), Anna Saunter (2G, 1A), Lucy Devine (1G, 2A), Ella Cohen (2G), Cece Green (2G), Loulou Rowlands (1G), Hannah Whiteley (1G), Chess Gray (1A), Emily Gray (1A)

British Lacrosse 12-5 Haudenosaunee (3-0; 2-0; 5-1; 2-4)
BL Scorers: Ella Cohen (3G, 1A), Minty Loxton (3G, 1A), Emily Gray (2G), Chess Gray (1G), Loulou Rowlands (1G), Anna Saunter (1G), Julie Wise (1G), Lucy Devine (2A), Emilie Chandler (1A), Georgie Greenwood (1A), Hannah Whiteley (1A)

British Lacrosse 9-11 Haudenosaunee | 2nd v 3rd (4-4; 3-2; 1-2; 1-3)
BL Scorers: Minty Loxton (2G, 2A), Lucy Devine (2G), Chess Gray (2G), Cece Green (2G), Hannah Whiteley (1G, 1A), Emily Gray (3A), Julie Wise (1A)

British Lacrosse Total Scoring (Canada Super Sixes)

1. Minty Loxton | 19 (12G, 7A)

2. Cece Green | 9 (7G, 2A)

3. Lucy Devine | 9 (3G, 6A)

4. Ella Cohen | 8 (7G, 1A)

5. Chess Gray | 8 (5G, 3A)

6. Hannah Whiteley | 8 (5G, 3A)

7. Emily Gray | 8 (3G, 5A)

8. Loulou Rowlands | 7 (5G, 2A)

9. Anna Saunter | 6 (5G, 1A)

10. Millie Hughes | 4 (3G, 1A)

11. Julie Wise | 4 (2G, 2A)

12. Georgie Greenwood | 2 (1G, 1A)

13. Emilie Chandler | 1 (1A)