OPENING FOURSOMES AT ROYAL PORTHCAWL GC, SOUTH WALES

Great Britain and Ireland's Vagliano Trophy team with skipper Tegwen Matthews, centre front row (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency). Back row (left to right) Louise Kenney, Kelly Tidy, Stephanie Meadow, Pamela Pretswell, Holly Clyburn. Front row: Danielle McVeigh, Kelsey MacDonald, Tegwen Matthews, Amy Boulden, Leona Maguire. VAGLIANO TROPHY Continent of Europe v Great Britain and Ireland At Royal Porthcawl GC, South Wales FRIDAY FOURSOMES Continent of Europe names first 8.0 Sophia Popov (Germany) and Lara Katzy (Germany) v Kelly Tidy (England) and Amy Boulden (Wales). 8.10 Alexandra Bonetti (France) and Manon Gidali (France) v Holly Clyburn (England) and Danielle McVeigh (Ireland). 8.20 Marta Silva (Spain) and Camilla Hedberg (Spain) v Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland) and Louise Kenney (Scotland). 8.30 Therese Koelbaek (Denmark) and Madelene Sagstrom (Sweden) v Pamela Pretswell (Scotland) and Stephanie Meadow (Ireland). The GB and I girls' team for the first Under-16s match to be staged in conjunction with the Vagliano Trophy match. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency. GIRLS' MATCH (Continent of Europe names first) 8.40 Karolin Lampert (Germany) and Quirine Eijkenboom (Germany) v Charley Hull (England) and Georgia Hall (England). 8.50 Clara Baena (Spain) and Ha Rang Lee (Spain) v Amber Ratcliffe (England) and Clara Young (Scotland). 9.0 Emily Pedersen (Denmark) and Shannon Aubert (France) v Chloe Williams (Wales) and Bronte Law (England).

Continent of Europe (holders of the Vagliano Trophy), pictured at Royal Porthcawl clubhouse today. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency

POINTS TO PONDER

+ The Continent of Europe have won the last two Vagliano Trophy matches - 13-11 at Hamburg in 2009 and 15-9 at Fairmont St Andrews in 2007 (which remains GB and I's biggest ever defeat in the series).

+Three members of this weekend's GB and I team - Danielle McVeigh, Leona Maguire and Pamela Pretswell, played in that 2009 defeat at Hanburg but none of the victories Continent of Europe team of two years ago is still in the amateur ranks.

+Since the Vagliano Trophy matches started at Wenworth in 1959, GB and have won 15 times to the Continent of Europe's 15. Only one match, in 1979, ended in a draw and GB and I, as holders retained the trophy. Curiously enough, the drawn match took place at Royal Porthcawl.

The Continent of Europe Under-16 girls' team at Royal Porthcawl (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).