Carpenter to play for Chelsea in Australia on pre-season tour

Ellie Carpenter will represent Chelsea Women in her home country of Australia during the club's pre-season tour, with the defender describing the prospect as something she never anticipated.

Carpenter has made more than a century of appearances for the Matildas, representing Australia at the Olympics, the World Cup and, most recently, in the final of the Asian Cup.

Chelsea's tour begins in New Zealand, where the side will face Auckland in their opening pre-season fixture before travelling to the Allianz Stadium in Sydney to take on the A-League Women All-Stars.

'I'm really excited to head to Australia with Chelsea,' Carpenter said. 'I never thought I'd be going to Australia with Chelsea, so I'm really excited, and to also wear this jersey in my home country.'

Carpenter said the tour would serve as a useful gauge of where the squad stands after a summer that brought both new signings and returning players. 'We have had some new signings, but then also some old faces back as well, and it's been nice to get the team together,' she said. 'It's only been a few weeks now, so I think we're bonding really well and coming together.'

The All-Stars squad includes several players Carpenter knows from international duty. 'There are a couple of girls from the national team in the All-Stars team, which will be cool to meet and to play against, and I think also some young and up-and-coming girls,' she added.

With family based in and around Sydney, Carpenter noted the rarity of the occasion. 'I don't head home often, just for national team games and sometimes over Christmas,' she said. 'So it's nice to get home and to also play in front of my friends and family, which I rarely get to do. They'll all be at the games, which is nice.'