Commonwealth games Women’s 7s Preview: Quansah out for revenge as she prepares England for challenge

Back in action: England winger Celia Quansah

After enduring a horrific injury first time around, England winger Celia Quansah is hoping for a successful return to the CBS Arena as her side host next weekend’s Commonwealth Games.

The 26-year-old Wasps star is looking for vengeance as her sole visit to the 32,753-seater in the Premier 15s last season ended in horrific fashion as Quansah tore her ACL against Gloucester and was ruled out for the vast majority of the season.

However, Quansah is now back to full fitness and is looking forward to next weekend’s showpiece event. She said: “It’s nice to have my first game back in that arena for the Commonwealth, so it’s exciting.

It was weird as we’re based out of Loughborough and that’s where all the prep camp has been, so it’s been quite strange getting to grips with that as we have so many other sports and people around. It’s nice, they’ve done all the branding so well which has got our heads in it a bit more.”

England are currently ninth in the World Series with one event to go but Quansah says th e mood in the camp is positive and Simon Middleton’s side are confident going into the tournament.

She said: “It’s been a bit of a challenging year for us. We’ve had inconsistencies with players coming in and out, and it has been a bit of a challenge but we’re in a really good place.

“The mood in camp is nice and everyone’s excited.

We’ve had a lot of fresh energy with the new girls who have come in in the last six months.”

England face 2018 gold medallists New Zealand, Canada and Sri Lanka in Pool A and Quansah is confident they can hold their own against the familiar Black Ferns and Canada but is wary of newcomers Sri Lanka.

She added: “We’ve played New Zealand in the Olympics last year and always meet them in the World Series, so we feel pretty confident playing against them as it’ll be who turns up on the day and the same with Canada. We don’t know much about Sri Lanka, we haven’t played them before. It’s always difficult when you don’t know much about a team as they’ll bring something different.”

England will be pleased to welcome back Quansah’s partner – flyhalf Meg Jones, left, who has recovered from an ankle injury in time for the tournament.

Quansah said: “I’m obviously biased but I think it will be really exciting to see Meg Jones back, she’s been out with an ankle injury so has missed the last two World Series tournaments. She will make a massive difference to our side with the way she is around the team and how she plays and lights up the field.”

The tournament consists of two pools with Pool B containing World Series leaders Australia, Fiji, Scotland, and South Africa.

Australia, who won silver at the 2018 Games, are 20 points clear of second place France and possess the second and third top try scorers in the Series in Charlotte Caslick (31), left, and Faith Nathan (29) and go into the tournament as clear favourites.