England need to switch on, says striker James Tindall

Striker James Tindall says England have plenty to prove at the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Germany despite being the defending champions.

England begin their campaign against Ireland in Monchengladbach on Sunday with memories of their disappointing performance at last month's London Cup still fresh. Coach Jason Lee accused the team of switching off during crucial moments as they finished third in the four-team event.

"In Germany we want to prove that we're good enough," said Tindall. "If we do go through a bad patch, that's not the end of it for us - we can work our way through each game."

England's women, meanwhile, begin their Championship campaign against Belgium in their pool B on Saturday. And forward Alex Danson is determined to finish at least second after the team won bronze in 2009.

"We need to push on and go one better this time. Getting to the final is something we really need to do," said Danson, who also believes the strong unity within the side, who are ranked fifth, will give them the advantage over rival teams.

"What makes our team so powerful, so special, is that we train full-time," she added. "It's the belief and respect we have for ourselves and one another which gives us an edge."