Larkfield players O’Hanlon and Drayne set to turn out for Team Northumbria in televised match

The two Northern Ireland internationals face a baptism of fire this Friday night when Northumbria travel to take on the wonderfully named champions Team Bath, the most successful side in SuperLeague history, in the season opener.

Drayne was already exiled in England as a teacher but current table toppers Larkfield will miss their long-serving skipper O’Hanlon as they seek to clinch a first NI Premier League title for four years.

However their traditional rivals will also be weakened in this second half of the domestic season as Graduates have lost three players to Northumbria and Belfast Ladies are down a couple thanks to a link-up which should be mutually beneficial for both parties.

Northumbria finished bottom last season so should be strengthened by the influx of talent and SuperLeague gives Northern Ireland’s top players tough competitive matches every week.

That will be important preparation in the lead-up to the NI team’s first ever appearance at the Commonwealth Games this summer and before then the European Championships double up as a qualifier for next year’s World Cup.

Northern Ireland’s Kiwi coach Kate Carpenter will double up as head coach of Team Northumbria this season, enabling her to keep a close eye on her leading ladies.