We provide the means by which any player can earn a place in the England team. The way this is achieved is by tracking every players results at county matches.

Then at the end of the playing season the seven highest ranked players in each region are invited to attend the England team trials.

There are points differences between what you can clock up in the County "A" and County "B" level so that although in most cases you must be a regular for your County's "A" team it is not impossible for a County "B" team player to make the trials.

In the Ladies and Juniors the same selection policy is applied but because there are no "A" & "B" squads in these sections its a straight race to get to the trials but it's certainly not any easier.

Once you have made it into the squads you are only there by right for one season only. After that you have to retain your place by winning your matches. The Mens England Squad is probably the the best known because there are more matches for them to play. The Ladies England Squad may not have as many matches in any season as the men but the squad is packed with the England's finest female players. We have a youth structure set up so that there is a natural progression through to the senior ranks when the time comes to leave the England Juniors Squad.

Some time ago, the EPA introduced an Under 21s squad which was later extended to include Under 23s. There is also a Seniors Squad. The U23s and Seniors trials are based on the same format as the Men's and Ladies format.

If you are one of the unlucky players not to be retained by the team managers at the end of the playing season all is not lost, you drop into the trials along with that season's best county players and try to recapture your place by doing well at the trials.

Of course if you are one of the County players who have earned a place in the trials by your hard work throughout the Intercounty season it will be your sole objective to make sure that you, not one of the "non retained" England squad members, get in to the squad.

The trials system comes under fire from some quarters but we are one of the very few sports where it is possible for a player to be playing in a local team one day and within a year be a full International player playing in the World Championships.