Robert Bailey, Star Sports

Jamaica's Sunshine Girls have been drawn in Pool B alongside arch-rivals England, for next year's World Netball Championships (WNC) in Sydney, Australia, from August 7-16.

The Jamaicans, who are ranked fourth in the world, will also have Scotland and Samoa in their group.

Pool A comprises Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. Pool C includes Malawi , South Africa, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, while Pool D includes Fiji, Wales, Uganda, and Zambia.

The pool allocations represent the nations' International Netball Federation (INF) rankings as at July 2014.

This follows the annual update, which is done on July 1, when rankings are recalculated.

The pool allocations also reflect the revamped competition format that was announced in November 2013 and which will see top nations such as Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, Malawi, and South Africa meeting earlier in the competition and playing matches in the preliminary rounds.

Meanwhile, the Mineth Reynolds-coached Jamaicans, who finished a disappointing fourth at the last WNC in Singapore four years ago, are currently preparing for a three-Test series against England next month.

The opening match is set for Saturday, January 10; the second game a day later; and the final match on Tuesday, January 13.

Reynolds said she is expecting a very tough series from their opponents, whom they defeated at the Commonwealth Games to win the bronze medal.

"It is going to be a very competitive series, but I know that my girls will be up for the challenge. I am expecting a very exciting series," she said.

"It's a crucial series because it is part of our build-up for the World Championships next year, and so we want to see what our girls are capable of doing while playing in different positions on court," Reynolds said.

The series will be Jamaica's only warm-up matches against higher-ranking teams, heading into next year's World Championships.