Reigning men’s champions Knights take on Hornets in a repeat of last year’s final as Southern Box Lacrosse’s (SBL) 2024/25 Winter Box League gets underway on Sunday.

England’s Tom Roche continues his long-term association with Knights in a player-coach capacity for the first time as he teams up with old friend and joint-Head Coach Johnny Goodfellow looking to mastermind a third consecutive title.

Hornets, who finished bottom two years ago and second last year, are looking to go one step further and lift the trophy for the first time in 2024/25.

They’ve brought in ex-England player Cai Jefferies and current England Assistant Coach Jane Lee to the coaching team looking to get the best out of an incredible roster of players that includes four players who featured for England at this year’s 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships.

In the other match in the men’s competition, Capitals and Steelheads battle it out as they both look to start with a win in a bid to lift their first Winter Box League titles.

Capitals are led by one of this year’s strongest coaching teams featuring England Head Coach Rob Clark, England star-man and all-time top-goalscorer Lyndon Bunio, and England Strength & Conditioning Coach Lyndon Stewart.

Fresh from Utica, USA helping England finish fourth at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships, Jamie Powell looks to be their focal point in the attack this year.

Led by two hugely experienced Irish internationals in Sean Gibson and Conor Dockery, Steelheads have a wealth of talent in their ranks for 2024/25 including England’s Ben Buchanan, Billy Rawlins, George Bascom, and Tom Bracegirdle.

Over in the bumper three-team women’s tournament, inaugural winners Blaze play Ravens before taking on newcomers Jaguars in their opening two games.

Coached by England Coach Rob Ingham Clark alongside Lyndon Stewart, the Blaze team features no less than six England internationals, including Davina Emetulu, Frances Parshall, Georgie Rutter, Helena Prettyman, Lauren Lewis, and Lucy Ford.

As is a theme throughout the women’s rosters this year, England field internationals Minty Loxton and Emma Savage have made the switch to box lacrosse for the first time.

Last year’s runners up, Ravens, led by Iain Murray and former England goalie Eliot Pugh, are looking for their first Winter Box League title and they’ve pulled out all the stops to reach that goal with England captain Annabelle Akintoye in their ranks as well as Laura Beaman and code-switchers Anna Neville and Torz Anderson.

In the third women’s game on opening day, Jaguars come up against Ravens as they hope to prove they can compete with the best in their debut season.

They’ll be coached by England’s Albert Whitehead and Millie Geddes and have an enviable roster that includes the break-out star of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships Alex Drewe.

Drewe is joined by England teammates Ellie Racle, Esme Breach, Laura Wright, Lauren Hurley, Rosie Bathurst, Rosie Jones, Tara Dempsey, and Zara Russell.

The opening day of SBL’s Winter Box League takes place at the Oxford Academy 3G Dome with spectators welcome. For those fans wanting to watch at home, Lacrosse Live UK will be streaming every game live on their YouTube channel HERE.

Opening Day Fixtures (all Sunday 8 December)