THREE Bournemouth-based players will represent England at the European Touch Rugby Championship in Nottingham, which starts tomorrow.

Cathi Farrer, Dan Connolly and Nick Best will fly the flag for the Three Lions when they go head-to-head with some of the best from across Europe in the four-day tournament.

The trio play for Bournemouth Titans in the National Touch Series and compete in tournaments all over the country during each summer.

The European Championship format is a six-a-side with games played over 40 minutes. Teams, in either single or mixed gender, can have eight additional rolling substitutes.

There are 10 gold medals up for grabs in either the Open (any age) or Master’s divisions (age-graded squads).

Farrer will compete in the mixed over-30s division and, as reigning European champions, the senior mixed team will be looking to regain their title in a hotly-contested category.

She said: “I can’t wait to be running out in my England shirt again.

“It was the best feeling in the world when we won gold in Jersey two years ago. I’m hoping to have that same buzz again come Saturday.

“The squad’s been training hard all season, so it will be good to put everything into practice this week against some really good competition from teams such as Ireland and France."

Connolly and Best will feature in the over-35s men’s division.

A former rugby sevens star for Wales, Connolly has also played for a number of professional rugby union sides including Wasps and London Welsh.

He said: “I started playing touch to stay fit and for the social benefits after retiring from contact.

“In 2016, Nick and I played for the Southern Suns at the Touch Nationals, which is the pathway to England squads.

“A year later, we played for England in the Senior Touch Championship in Edinburgh.

“I’m really excited to get out on the pitch and see what we can do as a squad.”

When asked about how he got in to touch rugby, Best said: “Five years ago, I was invited to play touch and fell in love with it immediately.

“It’s going to be a proud day getting my first cap for my country. The team ethos is strong and we are expecting to be competitive.”

Games will be broadcast on the BBC Sport red button from tomorrow until Saturday, with the finals being broadcast on Saturday.

Anyone interested in playing touch rugby, whether an absolute beginner or more experienced player, should visit www.englandtouch.org.uk to find their nearest club.