If England women are to better their 2012 Olympic bronze medal in Brazil next year, then the 2014 Champions Trophy may just have laid the foundation for it.

England, featuring Surbiton’s Hollie Webb, Georgie Twigg, Sarah Haycroft and Giselle Ansley, finished fifth overall after being knocked out in the quarter finals by New Zealand.

Sugden Road captain Haycroft scored her maiden senior international goal in a 3-1 triumph over Japan that ultimately paved the way for a penalty shoot out victory over China to claim fifth place – one place above England’s world ranking at the time.

England head to Spain for the Olympic qualifying tournament in June knowing they must win their quarter final to book Team GB’s place on the plane to Rio in 2016.

And Haycroft reckons England’s experience in South America will only stand them in good stead. “It is not just a given that we will qualify for the Olympics,” she said in an exclusive column for the Surrey Comet.

“We have to make sure that we win our quarter final at the Olympic qualifying tournament – World League Three – in June 2015.

“This puts a huge amount of pressure on that one quarter final, however, us having just lost that same quarter final in the Champions Trophy will go a long way in helping us prepare to go one better.

“The tournament was a huge learning experience for us as a team and we know that come the qualifiers we will be much better because of it.”

And having been recalled to the England squad for the trip to Argentina, Haycroft has no intention of letting her place go.

“At this time of year we look forward to the challenges the next year will bring us,” she added.

“For me, that is putting myself in the best possible position to get selected for the Olympic qualifier and the European Championships in August.

“For the team, we will prepare ourselves to do the best we possibly can in those tournaments and make sure we qualify for the Rio Olympics.”