WP vs NW in IPT Day of Reckoning

It’s the day of reckoning for Western Province and the North West, as the two 2013 SA U21 Hockey Interpovincial giants go head-to-head in a 6:30pm show-down for national bragging rights, at Queensmead in Durban.

Both gold-medal finalists have displayed very tight defensive patterns, Western Province conceding a stingy two goals throughout the tournament to the four against North West in their six matches.

The difference may instead turn on attack.

In their most recent displays, Friday’s medal contender matches saw an increasingly impressive Western Province crush a hapless Kaspersky Southerns 8-0, after leading 4-0 at the turn-around. By contrast, the Northern Blues made the North West sweat for their shoot-out decider 3-2 win, after the teams were tied 1-all from half-time till full time.

North West will treat the Province attacking quartet of Toni McCann (with four penalty corners), Tarryn Glasby (seven field goals), Jenead Brodell and Quanita Bobbs with extreme caution.

Western Province will be looking to blunt the success rate of Tiffany Jones (with 4 PCs and 5 FGs to her name), ably supported by striking talent in Sinalo Jafta, Lenthia Kamffer and Carli Gericke.

The battle for bronze features Kaspersky Southerns against the Northern Blues, their match starting at 4:30pm, and the curtain-raiser is likely to be every bit as hard-fought, with Southerns looking to retain dignity with a third-position finish, while the Blues, hard-stung after their narrow defeat at the hands of North West on Friday, are likely to be on a no-nonsense mission to be win their just deserts.