Hockeyroos Start Tour with 4-0 Win Over South Africa

Published On: 2 June 2009

Hope Munro is one of three WAIS athletes competing in South Africa

The Hockeyroos have started their new Olympic cycle on a positive note, defeating South Africa 4-0 in Durban in the first International hit-out for the women’s team since the Beijing Games.

The victory was particularly sweet for debutant Georgia Nanscawen, with the Victorian school girl scoring a goal in her first international match, one day after her 17th birthday.

All six Hockeyroo debutants, (Nanscawen, Alison Bruce, Emily Hurtz, Stacia Joseph, Heather Langham, Danielle Schubach) played well, showing good signs for the future of the Hockeyroos following the retirements of several veterans, including Nikki Hudson, after the Beijing Olympics.

The Hockeyroos will face South Africa again on Saturday 30 May before playing India on Sunday 31 May.

These matches are preparation for the Spar Cup, held in South Africa from 2 – 6 June against South Africa, India and Argentina.

The Spar Cup will give the young Hockeyroos a taste of international hockey prior to the Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy – Women 2009 held in Sydney from July 11-19.

WAIS will be represented by three scholarship holders in South Africa with Olympians Kobie McGurk, Hope Munro and Kim Walker all adding experience to a young squad.

In addition, WAIS scholarship holder Paige Collins has been named in Australia’s Jillaroos squad for the up-coming series against Japan.

The test series will take place in Japan (June 2-8) and although the test squad is missing several key Hockeyroo players expected to compete in the Junior World Cup (held in Boston, USA from August 4-16), the team is still full of talent.

Jillaroos coach Katrina Powell says the series will allow the team to gel together and go head to head with a quality team.

“Japan’s junior team didn’t qualify for the Junior World Cup, so this series will be against Japan’s senior national team. It will be a great challenge for the group to play against such highly regarded opponents. It will also give all the players a final chance to play well and put their hand up for a spot in the final Junior World Cup team,” said Powell.