Hockey: Keen interest in visitors

WITH South Africa's women recently having beaten European champions England 2-1 in a three-match Test series the visit of their men's side to Milton Keynes tomorrow to play England will be watched with great interest, writes Bill Colwill.

After returning to the main hockey arena at the beginning of the year, South Africa won the Africa Cup to earn the African berth in this month's Intercontinental Cup in Poznan and complete their final preparations here before moving to Poland.

Warming up with a 3-1 win against England's Under-21's on Thursday evening the South Africans, captained by Wayne Graham, looked fit and played with plenty of aggression. They have a second game at Bisham this afternoon against a GB XI before meeting England for the first time since 1969.

England welcome back Rob Thompson and Don Williams after taking time off for exams and Simon Hazlitt after injury but will be without Kalbir Tak- her who has gone into hospital for tests. The side, which includes nine of Great Britain's Barcelona Olympic squad, should have the edge.