Leigh Bierman became the latest South African player to turn out in Holcombe’s colours – at Cambridge last weekend – and she’s set to make her home debut tomorrow (Saturday) against Bromley & Beckenham.

Former under-21 international Bierman replaces fellow South African scoring sensation Candice Forward this season.

South Africa’s season, which ended just weeks ago, dovetails well with the English campaign.

Holcombe begun their East Women’s League Premier Division season with a 3-1 win over Wapping and Saturday’s 7-1 victory at the University of Cambridge, where Bierman marked her debut with a hat-trick.

Team manager Mike Haines is delighted to see Bierman follow in the footsteps of numerous South African players who have turned out for Holcombe in recent years.

Haines feels her arrival adds to what is already looking like a promising set-up this season.

He said: "We’ve got a new team coming together with new coach Vanessa Lines and her straight forwardness has been refreshing.

"They are playing some good team hockey instead of playing in an individual way like they have been doing in the past few years.

"It was a good performance on Saturday, with the movement and the possession we
virtually dominated the game.

"Also having a good game in her first outing was Nicola Joy but it was a good team game.

"The new players have fitted in superbly well and Lauren Martin, who played at the end of last season, has now got ancestral rights as a UK passport holder."

Each team can field a maximum of two overseas players but one must be a player/coach with a level three qualification in coaching.