RACHEL Walker hopes to spearhead England's bid for World Cup glory as she jets out for France.

The 22-year-old hockey ace from Worcester will fly out to Amiens this week with the 18-woman squad hoping to cement their place at the 2002 World Cup finals in Perth, Australia.

The Olton midfielder, who already has nine caps, will be in the England team to face France on Monday in the first of seven pool games before the play-offs which decide who goes through to the World Cup.

England have been placed in pool A with the host nation, India, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Ukraine and Uruguay and have to finish seventh overall in the qualifying tournament to go through to the World Cup in December next year.

The former Nunnery Wood High School student returns to Worcester next month before preparing for the December Champions Challenge in New Delhi, India, with a series of Test matches in Germany. The matches will also prove to be vital preparation for next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester before the World Cup.

"It will be a busy time!" Walker said. "We go into the World Cup qualifiers as one of the higher ranked teams and are expected to do well. We are certainly expected to finish fourth although we hope to finish in the top two.

"It is an exciting time to be involved with so many tournaments coming up."

* England's fixtures: Monday - France v England, Wednesday - Ukraine v England, Thursday - England v Kazakhstan, Saturday - England v Ireland, Sunday - England v India, Tuesday (Sept 25) - Uruguay v England, Wednesday (Sept 26) - England v Kenya.