The Welsh women’s hockey team are assured of plenty of support back in Medway.

Five of the Wales team hail from Rochester side Holcombe while the national team’s head coach Kevin Johnson is also the club’s head of ladies performance.

Holcombe’s Leah Wilkinson is captaining Wales into a major tournament for the first time and will also become the most capped female player when she leads them out in their opening game against India.

“It will be a really special day,” she said.

“There is so much on it. It’s my third Commonwealth Games and we have been working so hard as a team.

“There haven’t been many changes since Glasgow 2014 and it is a real honour to lead a team of women who have worked so hard on and off the pitch and to get that personal milestone.

“I feel very fortunate to have stayed injury free and been able to play at this standard for so long. It will be a really exciting day and definitely one I will be proud of.”

Wilkinson has 141 caps to her name. Wales’ game against India is the first hockey fixture of the Games.

Also in the squad are fellow Holcombe players Rose Thomas – the goalkeeper – Sarah Jones, Beth Bingham and Jo Westwood.

They meet England in their second game and are also in the same pool as South Africa and Malaysia.

Head coach Johnson said: "It’s a big occasion and it is for me too as a coach. It’s an opportunity to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world."

Wales start their campaign against India tomorrow (Thursday) at 00.30am UK time.

Read more on Kent's Commonwealth Games' representatives in this week's Messenger newspaper.