Published on Monday, November 28, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK in Randburg In what was the match of the tournament to date, eight-time Olympic Games gold medallists India beat an incredibly committed and brave South Africa 7-4 after leading 3-1 at half-time in the Champions Challenge match at Randburg Hockey Stadium late Sunday afternoon. This exceptional exhibition of hockey drama and skill had the crowd on ...

Published on Thursday, November 24, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK  After a week-long training camp, convenor of selectors Mike Bechet Thursday morning named the 18-player South Africa men’s hockey team to take part in the crucial Champions Challenge tournament at Randburg Hockey Stadium from Saturday to next Sunday’s finals day on December 4. The Durban-based KZN Coastal Raiders, the reigning three-time SA i...

Published on Thursday, November 24, 2011 by Gally The Investec South Africa women’s hockey team drew 5-5 in the first international against the world’s number one women’s hockey nation Holland in Arnhem, Holland Tuesday night. The Dutch side led 3-2 at half-time and 5-3 as the clock began to wind down but captain Marsha Marescia’s SA girls finished strongly to level matters five minutes from the final whis...

Published on Friday, November 18, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK The Investec South Africa women’s hockey team and the SA men’s side have received clarity on the new London 2012 Olympic Games qualifying route open to them. The SA women will be taking part in an Olympic Qualifier in Delhi, India from February 15 to 26, a tournament where the winner will earn a berth in London. The SA men have the option to pl...

Published on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 by Gally Argentina men have qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games following a 3-1 victory over Canada in the final of the Pan American Games, which has been taking place in Guadalajara, Mexico.  It was the 10th consecutive time the two squads had met in the Pan Am Games final.  The South Americans avenged the defeat that they suffered at the hands of their Canad...

Published on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 by Gally Name: Ian Haley Age: 28 Test caps: 50 When did you make your debut and how did it feel? I made my debut in October 2003 vs Malaysia at the Afro-Asian Games. Felt very nervous and wide-eyed but proud and excited to be playing for my country. [caption id="attachment_2173" align="aligncenter" width="415" caption="Ian Haley in action against Australia at the W...

Published on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK The South African U21 men’s hockey team manager, Mark Jenneker, has named a national U21 squad to attend a training camp at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria from November 27 to December 1. “This is indeed the players’ reward for all the sacrifices and hard work that they have put into their game,” said the Port Elizabeth-based Jennek...

Published on Friday, October 21, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK South African Hockey Association president Dave Carr released the names of 24 players Friday who will take part in a final training camp in Johannesburg starting on November 18 before selection convenor Mike Bechet and his panel make a final decision on which 18 players will represent the green and gold at the Champions Challenge men’s tournament, w...

Published on Monday, September 19, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK in Randburg Argentina edged a courageous South Africa 2-1 at a pulsating Kaspersky Park in Randburg Sunday to draw the two-Test EagleTurf SA/Argentina Men’s Hockey Series 1-1, this after SA had won the first encounter 5-4 in Friday’s magnificent first Test. After the first six goals were scored in the first 20 minutes of the opening Test it wa...

Published on Saturday, September 17, 2011 by Gally JONATHAN COOK in Randburg KZN Coastal Raiders star Gareth Carr nailed the winning goal with just a second left in the most thrilling of Test matches for South Africa to win the first Test in the EagleTurf SA/Argentina Men’s Hockey Series 5-4 at Kaspersky Park in Randburg Friday night. Matias Paredes picked up the ball inside the SA 23m area to open the scorin...