It became abundantly clear at the SA Women’s Interprovincial Hockey Tournament on Greenfields Turf in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday that the form teams and front runners for the 2014 title are Southern Gauteng and Northern Blues.

Both sailed through their third last pool matches with absolute ease and look primed to repeat the medicine when they tackle their semi final opponents on Friday.

Northerns cantered to a 6-1 win over a feisty Border who never threw in the towel but were outgunned in all departments. Blues striker Jacinta Jubb is a considerable threat in the strike and her lethal finishing earned the Tuks student a brace that included a penalty corner and one field goal.

Pool B winners Blues other goals came from Marlene Nortje, Jenna Shuker, Marghuerite van Wyk and Kim Hubach while Marlies van der Stel got on the score sheet for the East Londoners.

A spirited South Africa womens hockey team failed to beat New Zealand in a bronze match playoff at the recently ended Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The brave women put up a skillful, courageous performance but a dominant second half was enough to earn world number four New Zealand  a 5-2 victory after just leading 2-1 at half time.

South Africa had very good opportunities to make early inroads but goal making passes went astray. Then it was Kiwi speed queen Anita Punt’s turn to skin the SA defence out wide in winning the match’s first corner, but SA skipper Marsha Cox intercepted the variation and relieved the pressure with aplomb.

In the fifth minute, the Black Sticks went 1-0 up when Anita Punt blasted a rebound off keeper Anelle Van Deventer’s pads into the back of the net. In the 13th, with the rain drizzling down, Lisa Deetlefs handed the South Africans their first penalty corner which the Kiwis impressively defended.

The South Africa men’s hockey team, missing the services of key players Jonty Robinson and Andrew Cronje, were beaten 5-2 by favourites India after trailing 4-0 at half time in what was effectively a quarter final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Thursday evening.

Double Olympian Cronje and Robinson were unable to play, leaving South Africa down to only three field players on the rolling subs bench compared to India’s five, which turned out to be a massive disadvantage.

V.R Raghunath (3min) and Rupinder Singh (9th min) both nailed down successful penalty corners to put India 2-0 up before Ramandeep Singh (22nd)and S.V Sunil (26th) scored from field play for the 4-0 half time score.

South Africa womens hockey team are seeking vengeance in Scotland at the Commonwealth Games after a disappointing show at the hockey world cup. They beat India 3-2 in a match that was played yesterday at Glasgow National Hockey Center yesterday to move through to the semis.

The last of the Pool A matches, the SA goals came from Tarryn Bright in the 14th minute, Dirkie Chamberlain in the 35th and Illse Davids in the 54th while India scored through Jaspreet Kaur in the 34th and Rani Kampal in the 60th.

Captain Marsha Cox’s girls will now play Pool B winners Australia on Friday morning in the second of the semi finals.

The Investec South Africa women’s hockey team produced a stellar performance yesterday at the Commonwealth Games in a match that saw them going 16 better than their Trinidad and Tobago opponents in their opening Group A match.

South Africa went out guns blazing with Dirkie Chamberlain and Sulette Damons the mainstay of the team as they easily dispatched the islanders 16-0 to make their presence felt on the ultimate stage after a disappointing World Cup showdown.

Already leading 7-0 at the break, Dirkie Chamberlain netted a hat trick from seven shots and added a penalty corner.

The Investec South Africa women’s hockey team opened their account in the Investec Cup with a 2-0 win over Scotland at England’s new national hockey stadium in London on Wednesday.

SA striker Kathleen Taylor was in irresistible form, scoring a brace, her first coming in the 15th minute and the 2nd came late in the second half in the 65 minute mark.

SA goalie Anelle van Deventer was instrumental in the win keeping her team in the game with a number of world class saves during periods of dominant Scotland play at stages in both halves.

SA’s win was made even more remarkable in that it was achieved with just 14 players while Scotland had the full complement of their 11 starting lineup players plus seven rolling subs.

Both the Investec South Africa women’s and men’s hockey teams will be looking to build on their successful end to the World Cup when they take on Scotland and Ireland respectively in  the first round of the Investec Cup at London’s national hockey stadium today.

The SA teams have a great opportunity to fine tune things before the much awaited Commonwealth Games that start in Glasgow from July 23 by their participation in the Investec Cup, which also celebrates the opening of the new London Olympics 2012 legacy venue.

By: Farai Diza

World number 15 Ireland and 11th ranked Investec South Africa women’s hockey team drew their opening Champions Challenge Pool B match 2-2 at Scotland’s National Hockey Center in Glasgow on Sunday.

Sullete Damons opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Ireland made a superb equalizer through Anna Flanagan in the 44th minute before Dirkie Chamberlain regained SA’s lead five minutes later (49th).

Audrey OFlynn went low to the far corner in the 58th minute for the 2-2 final.

“We weren’t good enough in the end zone (in both attack and defence) and gave away too many corners in the second half. We created enough chances but you have got to put them away if you want to win. I was happy with how we played to get the ball there, we had very many scoring chances but you have got to score then and that’s the difference,” said SA head coach Giles Bonnet.