South Africa’s women’s hockey team lost 5-1 to India in their ¬rst match on home turf since 4 February 2020. India, ranked number 8 in the world, proved to be too strong for the home side that is going through a rebuilding phase. The South Africans, who are ranked 22nd in the world, included two high school pupils in their squad in the form of Ntsopa Mokoena and Taheera Augousti, along with 19-year-old goalkeeper Morgan de Jager. De Jager and Cailynn den Bakker had their ¬first taste of international hockey in this Test while Mokoena and Augousti made their debuts in December.
The gulf in class between the two sides and the inexperience of the Proteas was evident from the onset as the home team struggled to match their opponents from the start. SA went to the half-time break trailing 5-0 through goals from Rani Rampal, Monika Malik, Navneet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur and Sangita Kumari.
The hosts had a moment to cheer in the third quarter of the game from a penalty corner when Kristen Paton’s shot was deflected into the path of captain Quanita Bobbs, who found the back of the net with her strike. Paton and Bobbs took control of the game in the second half and stunted the attacking threat of the Indians. "We battled to contain India in the ¬first half but did much better in the second half. We have to start the game better.
We are a young side and we are playing exciting hockey in phases but we have to keep developing and building up our play," Bobbs said after the game.
No further goals were added and the ¬final score ended 5-1 to the visitors. By the time you read this article, the South African ladies shall have played their second match of the four-Test series on
