JONATHAN COOK
in Ede, Holland
 
The Investec South Africa women's hockey team face the toughest challenge yet on their whistle-stop European tour when they take on the world’s best current team, Holland, in the leafy town of Ede outside Amsterdam.
 
Holland beat 2010 world champions Argentina on a penalty shootout in the Champions Trophy final in Amsterdam three weeks ago after fighting back from a 3-1 deficit in regulation time to exact revenge for their defeat to the Las Leonas of Argentina in the World Cup final.

 
The Investec SA team have left 700 caps worth of experience and expertise at home due to the unavailability of world all-time goalscoring record holder Pietie Coetzee (university commitments), 2010 SA Player of the Year Lesle-Ann George, Lisa Deetlefs and Jen Wilson (all injured) but have a band of enthusiastic young players led by World 2010 All Stars midfielder Marsha Marescia.
 
On Saturday last, SA thumped Belgium on day one of their eight-match tour over nine short days by the comfortable margin of 4-1 but the wily Belgians came back to draw the second Test 2-2 before taking the third against all odds to the tune of 3-1 and level the series outcome at 1-1.
 
Perhaps SA’s relative inexperience told in that hugely disappointing third outing for the young players as no less than 11 good scoring opportunities and five unsuccessful penalty corners went astray, while Belgium scrapped for everything and took their few chances in ruthless fashion.
 
Investec South Africa head coach Giles Bonnet is looking to his players to put pressure on the star-studded Dutch side and also begin to convert the goalscoring chances that come their way.
 
The fickle nature of top-level international hockey is illustrated by the fact that this month Holland beat Argentina before losing to world number three Germany who in turn lost to Belgium who then lost and won against South Africa.
 
And as SA learnt to their cost in the crazy Champions Challenge quarter-final defeat to Spain last month in Dublin when they overwhelmed their opponents but still lost, anything can happen on the day. It’s that simple and yet that complex.