Hockey Australia

The Kookaburras and Jillaroos have departed for their respective tours of Europe and China.

For the Kookaburras, it was off to Germany and Netherlands, for the Hamburg Masters and the Rabobank trophy; while the Jillaroos are competing in a four-nations under 21 tournament in China.

The Kookaburras will play Germany, Netherlands and Pakistan from 12-14 August in Hamburg, Germany; then compete against England, Germany, India, Korea, Netherlands, Pakistan and Spain for the Rabobank Trophy, in Amstelveen, Netherlands, from 14-21 August 2005.

The tournaments will provide national coach, Barry Dancer, the opportunity to try a few different combinations, and will also give the players some valuable experience against the top nations in men's hockey leading into the Champions Trophy later this year, as well as the Commonwealth Games and World Cup next year.

For the Jillaroos, the four-nations under 21 tournament will see the them play China, Germany and Japan from 2-9 August in Jiangsu, Wujin, China.

The tournament will be an opportunity for the Jillaroos to develop team and playing structures in the lead up to their World Cup assault in Santiago, Chile, in September this year.

Ranked fourth for the BDO Junior World Cup, the Jillaroos will be hoping to go one step further than their male counterparts who won silver at the Rabo Junior World Cup last month.

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