Match Preview | Cardiff Dragons vs Saracens Mavericks (NSL Rd 1)

Defensive maestro Razia Quashie is relishing being back in Mavericks colours this weekend, as her side take on Cardiff Dragons in the 2024 NSL Season Opener.

After a summer of change, Quashie has challenged her side to push on, as they hunt an improvement on a spate of recent fifth-place finishes.

“I’m really excited. We’ve got a brand-new team and a new defensive end. We’re building, but I’m excited to see what comes. We want to do what we haven’t been able to do in the last few seasons which is really push on.”

Quashie admits that she has an individual focus of building on what she was able to achieve in the Nations Cup, now that she is back in a Mavericks dress. For the squad though, she insists that they need to come off the court having no regrets once the final whistle blows.

“As an individual, I want to build on what I was able to do in the international window, but as a collective, we’re looking to gel and come together. We want to create clear pictures on court and that means being fearless out there.”

After returning from injury last season, Quashie made the step back into the international fold in the off-season and she admitted that getting herself back into England colours had been one of her final goals as part of her recovery plan.

“It was one of my last goals after that injury, in terms of getting myself back onto the international stage against two of the best teams in the world. Now I’ve been able to do that, it’s energised me to really kick on again this season. I want to do be able to do what I’ve been able to do internationally back in the domestic game. I want to be able to come out with those intercepts, drive the team forward and really lead from the back of the court.”

Whilst there has been an injection of youth into the Mavericks side over the summer, there has also been plenty of change for tomorrow’s opponents Cardiff Dragons.

Former Maverick Beth Ecuyer-Dale is set to take on her old teammates and Quashie is wary of the threat that she and her new side will pose come first centre pass.

“Dragons have got some really nippy players in the mid-court. They play some really nice stuff and there’s obviously a familiar face there in Beth too. For us, we need to focus on neutralising them and cancelling out the likes of Georgia Rowe and Hannah Passmore at the back. We know it’s going to be a test but we’re confident in ourselves that we can come out with the win.”