Opals begin World Cup campaign against France

A first up win over France will be crucial for the Opals given their group includes the likes of Serbia, Canada, and Japan – and they must finish in the top two to progress to the quarterfinals.France will field a youthful line up with big names – guard Marine Johannes, centre Sandrine Gruda and guard Bria Hartley not playing in Sydney.While the Opals welcome Lauren Jackson back on their 12-strong roster after she remarkably came back from years of retirement to be selected aged 41.Opals live factbox“It’s been a very big ride, an intense one,” said Jackson, a four-time Olympic medallist and seven-time WNBA all-star who first played for the Opals 25 years ago.“The girls are feeling pretty good and it’s a really exciting time, but a nervous time for me.” Now a mother, Australia’s greatest women’s player retired in 2016 with a persistent knee injury before launching a return in April to make her fifth World Cup.Updates to story Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au