IT WAS almost the perfect international debut. In fact you could argue that, as a learning opportunity, it actually was the ideal start to Esme Burge's Great Britain career.

With Britain’s game against Germany in the FIH Pro League last Friday poised at 2-2 with just under 10 minutes left, Burge, a 19-year-old University of Nottingham midfielder, dribbled the ball and, with nothing much else on, cleverly found a defender’s foot for a free hit.

Taking the hit herself quickly, she waltzed past a couple more defenders and squared to the ball to another youngster, 18-year-old Izzy Petter, who roofed the ball into the net.