After the successes of the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup qualifiers, England women face a real test on home soil in the run-up to the world cup in Madrid in September. England will be hosting two of the top women's sides when the England women's team play Australia on 29 June and 2 July, and Argentina on 3 July. All matches will be played at Reading. This is the first time that the resurgent England side have met one of the top nations since they played against Australia in the Commonwealth Games. It will be an excellent opportunity to judge whether the progress over the last few months has been real and substainable. Further particulars can be found at www.EnglandHockey.co.uk.
Meanwhile, the coach of the Irish national side has fallen casualty of their failure to qualify for the World Cup. Riet Kuper, who has been the women's coach since 1998, has decided to retire. Paul Varian, Chief Executive of the Irish Hockey Association said of her, "It is a credit to how far she has taken this team that we are now able to aim our targets for the women's team at the highest levels of international hockey, which includes qualification for the 2002 World Cup, an Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2004 and a best-ever European Nations Cahmpionships finish of 5th in Dublin last year. Kuper had some success in the World Cup qualifiers in Rome, managing to reach the 5th-8th play-off stage without losing a match, but eventually fell casualty to China by six clear goals.
