The left-back officially joined Chelsea on 1 July and has been acclimatising to her new team environment as part of the group.

Speaking ahead of our fixture with Auckland FC at Eden Park, the Ireland international said: 'I love coming down this side of the world. I think the fans are incredible.

'From being a spectator to playing in tournaments, I've seen New Zealand play, and they've always got an incredible fan base, so I'm really excited to play here in this one.'

Every pre-season delivers an opportunity for the team to work on plans for the new season ahead, and McCabe explained how the match against Auckland will form an important part of Sonia Bompastor's preparations for the new campaign.

'Obviously over the next day or two we're going to have a look at the opposition in more detail and be prepared as much as possible.

'I don't doubt the quality of the team, but for us obviously it's pre-season as well, so we need to concentrate on ourselves and make sure we're doing what the manager wants.

'I think we'll bring a lot of energy. As I said, it's pre-season, so we want to make sure we're bringing a lot of energy early on into the game, having a lot of quality on the ball and hopefully looking to dominate as much as possible.'

The Eden Park venue has a rich history, and Chelsea Women were honoured to have a specially commissioned mural by local artist Otis Frizzell painted on the stadium's inner wall.

McCabe called for local fans to come and witness such a special occasion, the first time that a Women's Super League side has played in New Zealand.

'It's a fantastic stadium here,' she smiled. 'You can feel the aura the minute you step onto the pitch, and what this stadium represents. So I think it's just an amazing opportunity, being a Chelsea player, being here and showcasing this game.

'It's important that if there are New Zealand-based fans, they come to the game and try to fill the stadium as much as possible. We want to put on a really good quality game for the fans. So if you don't have a ticket yet, definitely come down and watch us.'