Dutch dispatch SA hockey men

Jonty Robinson, seen here in action at Hartleyvale on Sunday, scored South Africa's opening goal against The Netherlands. Photo: Luigi Bennett, BackpagePix

Jonty Robinson, seen here in action at Hartleyvale on Sunday, scored South Africa's opening goal against The Netherlands. Photo: Luigi Bennett, BackpagePix

Published Jan 22, 2017

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Cape Town Summer Series

South Africa 2 (Robinson, Heyns)

Netherlands 6 (Brinkman, Pruijser 2, Algera, De Voogd, Jansen)

The South African men’s hockey team fought bravely at a windy Hartleyvale, but ultimately came unstuck against a vastly more experienced Netherlands side in the opening men’s encounter of the Cape Town Summer Series.

The slick passing of the Dutch side, who are among the leading teams in the world – having finished just out of the medals in fourth place at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro last year – showed their class during the second chukka when they took the lead after some good interplay by the halves in midfield.

The opening goal came courtesy of some impressive play from the Argentinian-born Valentin Verga. The striker, who actually played rugby back in Buenos Aires before his family emigrated to Amsterdam when still a child, struck a vicious reverse-stick shot goalwards, which allowed Thierry Brinkman to deflect it past South Africa’s goalkeeper Gowan Jones.

Brinkman showed good reflexes to lunge at the ball before it reached Jones.

The visitors were certainly enjoying the strong wind at their backs as they launched another productive attack shortly after the opening goal.

Fellow striker Marco Pruijser added his name to the score-sheet after some good play by Lars Balk in the lead-up to the goal.

The change of ends certainly aided the home side, who were a lot more comfortable playing with the winds at their backs than having to run into virtual gale-force winds down in Observatory.

They used it to their immediate advantage, with Jonty Robinson collecting a long pass and breaking free inside the Dutch ‘D’ within a minute of the restart.

Robinson, who is a veteran of the 2012 SA Olympic team, turned sweetly past Netherlands defender to get the ball back on to his strong side before unleashing a pile driver into the right top corner, which gave the visiting goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak no chance of stopping it.

The strong crowd that braved the chilly early evening weather certainly enjoyed the chance to warm up their lungs and vociferously cheered the South African goal.

The joy was short-lived, though, with the Dutch hitting back strongly by forcing a short corner.

The short-corner tactics of the ‘Oranje Army’ are among the most feared in the world, and they duly showed why when Tristan Algera stepped up and slapped a low shot past Jones in the SA goal to restore Netherlands’ two-goal advantage.

The third chukka was the most entertaining for the home fans, with South Africa continuing to press with the wind at their backs.

Former Bishops prodigy Dayaan Cassiem showed enterprising skill upfront on his international debut, with the 18-year-old’s speed proving to be a constant menace for the Dutch defenders.

The home side were duly rewarded for their constant pressure when Gareth Heyns reduced the deficit once more through a deflection after South Africa had earned another short corner.

However, the home side’s discipline let them down in the latter stages of the third and final chukka, with Cassiem’s inexperience costing his team dearly when he received a yellow card for slapping the ball goalwards after the referee’s whistle had already been blown.

Robinson also later received a yellow card which compounded South Africa’s problems.

A classy side such as the Dutch don’t need such offerings and duly made the opposition pay, with Bob de Voogdt and Jip Janssen adding to the tally before Pruijser closed off proceedings with his second of the evening.

South Africa will get another chance on Wednesday evening (8pm start) to show what that they have learnt from Sunday night’s defeat when they face the Dutch again.

The SA Women’s team will face China in the curtain-raiser at 6pm.

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Independent Media

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