SA teams take shape

SEMIFINALS: WOMEN’S SIDE SETTLED, BUT BLOW FOR MEN

Ken Borland

It will be a dynamic South African women’s hockey team that will play in the World League semifinals in Johannesburg next month, but the men’s side have suffered a blow with the unavailability due to injury of one of their key players.

There were few surprises in the 18-strong women’s team announced this week, with coach Sheldon Rostron continuing with his youth policy mixed with some vital experience that sees the likes of Bernie Coston, Lillian du Plessis, Shelley Jones (nee Russell) and Nicolene Terblanche all selected along with the youngsters.

“The main thing when it came down to choosing the group was to ensure it is dynamic enough for the strategies and structures we want to put in place and that we have to ensure we execute to a T. Adding some experience will also help us, just to make sure the right mentality is in place, but those senior players have to be able to grasp what we are trying to do instead of what they might have been doing for so long,” Rostron told Saturday Citizen.

Clinton Panther, a seasoned midfield organiser and 2012 Olympian, has had to withdraw from the men’s side due to a knee injury, but it is still an experienced squad that will line up against Ireland, Germany, Egypt and Belgium in Pool B from July 9, with the likes of Jonty Robinson, Julian Hykes, Tim Drummond, Rhett Halkett, Rassie Pieterse and Austin Smith all included.

“Clint’s knee is going to keep him out for the next four weeks, but there are other overseas-based players from competitive leagues who will bring value.

“The squad was chosen on performance at our training camp and in the past, as well as at IPT. The guys have carried on from there and shown their class and experience. The key is going to be our players’ ability to play in a number of different lines and there is a huge amount of quality,” men’s coach Fabian Gregory said.