Bili Ntuli
No less than five players from Steinhoff Maties Hockey Club made their senior international debut for the South African Men’s hockey team this past week.
Dylan Swanepoel, Keenan Horne and Daniel Bell played along with debutants Bili Ntuli, Alex Stewart, Charlie Bowren, Matt de Sousa and Rob McKinley in the recent Summer Series against Ireland, Spain and Canada.
“It was an absolute honour and privilege,” said Ntuli after his debut. “As a player this is what you work towards in all your training from young, to sing the national anthem in your home country and to test yourself against the best in the world – I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given and the trust that the coaches and the senior players showed in me. I hope to stick around for many more years and achieve so much more with SA hockey.”
South Africa drew the match against Ireland 3-3 and then notched up two victories over Spain and Canada. All three teams are above SA on the world rankings and unlike South Africa these teams are going to the Olympic Games.
The Maties’ First Years tournament is on 27 February. Trials for the club teams are from 8 to 20 February.
Dylan Swanepoel
AFRIKAANS
Steinhoff Maties Hokkie begin jaar met slag
Nie minder nie as vyf spelers van Steinhoff Maties Hokkieklub het hul senior internasionale debuut vir die Suid-Afrikaanse manshokkiespan die afgelope week gemaak.
Dylan Swanepoel, Keenan Horne en Daniel Bell saam met debutante Bili Ntuli, Alex Stewart, Charlie Bowren, Matt de Sousa en Rob McKinley was in aksie in die onlangse reeks teen Ierland, Spanje en Kanada.
“Dit was ‘n absolute eer en voorreg,” het Ntuli na sy debuut gesê. “As ‘n speler is dit waarvoor jy werk van jonks af; om die volkslied te sing in jou eie land en om jouself te toets teen die beste in die wêreld – ek is dankbaar vir die geleentheid wat ek gegee is en die vertroue wat die afrigters en die senior spelers in my gestel het. Ek hoop om nog vir baie jare vir die nasionale span te speel en ‘n bydrae tot hokkie in Suid-Afrika te lewer.
Suid-Afrika het met 3-3 gelykop teen Ierland gespeel en seges oor Spanje en Kanada behaal. Al drie spanne is bo SA op die wêreldranglys en in teenstelling met Suid-Afrika gaan die spanne na die Olimpiese Spele.
Die Maties se Eerstejaarstoernooi is op 27 Februarie. Proewe vir die klubspanne is 8-20 Februarie.
Alex Stewart