CLUB friendships could be put to the test over the next three weeks as Canterbury trio Mel Clewlow, Cathy Gilliat-Smith and Jen Wilson bid for international glory at the Commonwealth Games.

Clewlow, 29, and 24-year-old Gilliat-Smith are both in the England squad which flew out to Melbourne on Wednesday, while Wilson and the rest of her South African team head for Australia on Monday.

The two countries have been kept apart in the group stages, but there is a good chance they could meet in the crossover semi-final matches.

England have been paired with Canada, Scotland, Barbados and New Zealand, while South Africa face Nigeria, holders India, Malaysia and pre-tournament favourites Australia.

Both teams are potential medallists, and England will be keen to go one better than in Manchester four years ago when they controversially lost 3-2 to India in the final.

South Africa, the reigning African champions, also have a point to prove after failing to make the semis in Manchester when they let slip a 3-0 half-time lead against India to lose 4-3.

Clewlow, the England squad’s most capped player, is one of eight survivors from the 2002 games and says she plans to enjoy every minute in Melbourne.

This is her third games, having also won a silver at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, although just 18 months ago she had turned her back on the international game.

Clewlow, who has 142 caps, explained: "I think taking a break did me no harm in the end. The Commonwealth Games was not really a factor in my decision to come back but it is obviously one of the biggest events we get to play in.

"I’m sure there will be a few nerves at the start but these are the sort of tournaments you train for and we’re all looking forward to doing well.

"I think there are five teams capable of making the final and we’ve got to be looking for a medal after being runners-up at the last two games."

Wilson was joint leading scorer at the 2004 Athens Olympics and third highest at the Manchester Games, but team medal success has so far eluded her, something she is anxious to put right in Melbourne.

The 26-year-old forward will certainly go into the tournament with her confidence high after spearheading South Africa’s Spar Four Nations Tournament triumph in Durban last month with five goals in four matches.

Speaking from her parents’ home in Port Elizabeth, she said: "The Spar tournament went very well for us and was good preparation. All the teams were ranked below us but it was good to help build confidence and particularly nice for me to score a few goals.

"Australia are the favourites in our group but we’ve targeted India as our crunch match. We’re definitely aiming to finish in the top two and if we do I’m sure we’ll end up playing England at some stage.

"There has already been a lot of banter from people back home about when we might meet but rest assured that, while we may be clubmates, once we get on the pitch there is never any love lost."

Gilliat-Smith will make her Commonwealth debut in Melbourne and celebrates her 25th birthday while out there.