SA hockey teams gear up for challenging Test series against India and Nkosi Cup showdown

The national men’s outdoor hockey team is gearing up for a challenging three-match Test series against India, which will be followed by the equally competitive Nkosi Cup featuring the men’s and women’s indoor national teams.

The thrilling men’s Test series in the Western Cape pits the African champions against the Asian champions. Both nations have recently secured qualification for the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2026, setting the stage for a high-quality series as they intensify their preparations for the global showpiece.

The series kicks off in Stellenbosch on December 7, with further fixtures at Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town on 9 and 10 December.

The action then switches to the Wynberg Military Base Stadium in Cape Town for the third edition of the Nkosi Cup in mid-December. Hockey fans are in for a treat, as they get to watch the nation’s Men’s FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup bronze medallists in action against Australia, New Zealand, the US, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The two-time Nkosi Cup champions will be chasing a hat-trick of wins on home soil.

The SA women will face the same teams as they set off in pursuit of a first title in the indoor showpiece, having finished as runners-up in the first two editions.

The hosts will be pitted against New Zealand on the opening night of both the men’s and women’s tournaments, while neighbouring rivals Namibia and Zimbabwe meet in the women’s opener.

The SA women will be keen to make amends for an underwhelming World Cup campaign, having retained the core of that squad. Sarah Paget, Edith Molikoe, Laiken Brisset, Daniella de Oliveira, Jamie Southgate, Jess Lardant and Malikah Hamza all featured prominently in Croatia recently and will again form the backbone of the side.

The squad includes two new caps, with 16-year-old Chelsey Woolf receiving her maiden senior call-up and joining fellow debutant Ashleigh Thomas in the national team for the first time.

The recall of Tatum Kroutz, Cerian Fourie and Charlize Swanepoel adds further depth to the team, which will be guided for the first time by head coach Calvin Price, who helped lead Namibia to a top-six finish at the World Cup.

Meanwhile, dual-format international Robyn Johnson has officially called time on her eight-year career in indoor and outdoor hockey.

Johnson featured at the Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the 2022 FIH Hockey World Cup. She also played a key role in the iconic 2023 Indoor Hockey World Cup campaign, where South Africa reached the semi-finals on home soil in Pretoria.