Serena Guthrie: England centre to return to Bath for 2019 Superleague season

Guthrie won four league titles during her previous spell with Bath

England centre Serena Guthrie will return to Team Bath for the 2019 Superleague season.

The 28-year-old, who won four league titles with Bath, her first club, in an eight-year spell from 2007, is to leave Australian side Giants.

One of the world's best players, she won Commonwealth Gold with England in April and was named in Super Netball's team of the year for the 2018 season.

"I'm excited to come back home to where my career began," Guthrie said.

"I've always wanted to come back and play in the English league and with the World Cup next year it makes sense to be back in the country in the build-up," she told BBC Sport.

"I want to have a positive influence on the league at the peak of my game. I'm excited about going home and being back in front of the Team Bath fans where it started. I'd love to come back and win another Championship with Bath as a more senior player.

"Hopefully my story can inspire girls who want to play in Super Netball. But I think the cool thing is I'm someone who's chosen to come back and I want to be a part of the English league while at my peak and that's something quite special.

"There's a lot of talk about Super Netball being a world-class league but we have to keep growing the leagues across the world. If I can help strengthen the English league by coming back and bring back a certain standard, then I'd love to be able to share that.

"I'm an English netballer and I'm passionate about bringing on our players so it will be a privilege to help them."

A huge coup

Guthrie has excelled since moving abroad in 2015, picking up rookie of the year in New Zealand's ANZ Championship before a successful spell in Australia.

She was awarded Giants most valuable player as her side were beaten in the 2017 Grand Final and Giants finished top of the regular season table a year later.

So this is a huge coup for Team Bath, and England netball, who are now reaping the rewards on an international stage after allowing their best English players to move abroad.

Guthrie's return home during the best years of her career has come as a surprise, and the question now will be whether she can breathe new life into England's domestic competition.

"There is no doubt that Serena would have had the pick of what clubs to go to but it is both testament to her loyalty and the club that she has chosen to return to Team Bath," said head coach Jess Thirlby.

"We feel confident we can support Serena and her development both on and off the court in this World Cup year and will work tirelessly with her and the team to get the best out of each other."