Namibia take positives from SA tests
Namibia’s senior women’s outdoor hockey team returned to Windhoek with valuable international exposure and clearer tactical priorities after testing themselves against World Cup-bound South Africa in Cape Town last week.
The hosts completed a 4-0 series victory with a 4-0 win in the final Test at Hartleyvale Stadium on Friday, following earlier victories of 4-0, 2-0 and 4-1.
Despite the scorelines, the four matches from 20 to 24 July allowed Namibia to measure themselves against a side preparing for next month’s International Hockey Federation Women’s World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
LA2028 qualification
Namibia Hockey Union vice president Tunomwaameni Epafras said the tour was primarily intended to prepare the squad for its continental campaign towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
He said South Africa, meanwhile, used the matches to fine-tune its combinations and final preparations for the World Cup.
“We did not come into this Test series with the sole aim of winning. It was about preparing us for the African [Olympic qualification campaign], while for South Africa it was purely preparation for the World Cup,” said Epafras.
Tactical lessons
Namibian player Gillian Hermanus said competing against high-quality opposition highlighted the intensity and discipline required at international level.
“Tactically, we need to raise the intensity and aggression and manage the field better. Hockey is a fantastic game, but it is an unforgiving sport. You have to play it because you love it,” said Hermanus.
With the Cape Town tour complete, Namibia will return to domestic training and continue working on the tactical and physical areas identified during the series as they build towards the 2027 African Hockey Road to Los Angeles 2028.
International exposure
When Sport Wrap spoke to captain Sunelle Pretorius, she explained that it is essential for the team to play against international teams, not just play locally, to develop and gain experience.
"I believe the biggest lesson for us is the importance of regular international exposure. We can't truly grow or develop by only competing against each other locally. Consistently testing ourselves against higher-ranked international teams is essential if we want to raise our standards and become more competitive on the international stage," she said.
