TWO burgeoning sports stars have been flying the flag for their country.

Hannah Baker and Mathew Tait, pupils at Barnard Castle School, have both been selected for England in their respective sports of hockey and rugby.

Hannah, 15, of Crook, has been invited to join the national under 16 junior programme for hockey.

In February she will attend a special selection camp and is in with a good chance of becoming part of the 20-strong travelling squad, which will compete in the Four Nations hockey tournament in Germany later this year.

"I feel nervous but excited at the same time," said Hannah, who also plays for Sunderland Ladies Hockey Club, a first division side in the national league.

Her enthusiasm for the game has also proved infectious - her mother has taken up the sport again and now plays in goal for Sunderland thirds.

Hannah hopes to study sports psychology at university, after leaving school, with the aim of becoming a sports psychologist or physiotherapist.

"But my ideal goal would be to play hockey for England at the Olympics," she added.

Mathew, of Wolsingham, also has his sights set high. "I would love to play for England in the next World Cup in France in 2007," said the 17-year-old, who was selected recently to play for the Under 19 England squad and scored a try in the match against Scotland.

Mathew is being tipped by his teachers to be the next Jonny Wilkinson and is only too pleased to take up the challenge.

"I quite like being under a bit of pressure," said Mathew, who hopes to take up rugby professionally next year when he is at university studying sports sciences.

"I can't kick like Jonny but running is my strength and hopefully I can score tries."