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South Africa

The memory is still painfully fresh in Caroline Jack's mind. Her Southern Gauteng side had hogged the national women's hockey title when they were defeated 3-2 by Western Province in 2004's final to bring their eight-year reign to an end.

Going into the this year's Spar interprovincial beginning in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, Jack is adamant that Southerns will take revenge. Now captaining the side, she reckoned: "Last year was a bitter pill for us to swallow, losing for the first time in nine years. But if anything that's just made us more motivated to go and get it back. It's quite nice for once not to go into the tournament as title holders but as challengers."

Southerns have been dealt a massive blow because veteran Lindsey Carlisle (captain of the national side) was this week ruled out with a serious knee injury. And they are also without the now-retired former national captain Susan Webber.

"Lindsey has pulled out with a knee injury which makes things harder for us round the back. But we've got Marsha (Marescia, national vice-captain) this year so that will give us some strength in the midfield and we have four new caps who have joined us as well.

'Lindsey has pulled out with a knee injury'
"We have eight national players in the side and we will be relying on our combinations from the national team to come through in the Southerns side," added Jack who is the national team goalkeeper.

Having taken over at the helm a few months ago, Jack is aware of how much work lies ahead for her side in the coming week.

"It's going to be incredibly difficult. The South Africa Under-21 team have been doing very well and are going to provide some tough competition in our pool.

"It's hard to tell with the Under-21s. They are often sporadic in form but they have just beaten the French national side. They've had a lot of time to train together."

While she is loathe to take anything for granted, Jack believes the tournament is still likely to end with a Southerns against Western Province final, with Southerns likely to play Northern Gauteng and Province the SA Under-21s in the semifinals.

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