Tough test for Irish women's hockey team in world cup qualifiers

Twelve teams, five qualifying spots - say it quickly and the ESB Irish women's hockey team's task at the World Cup Qualifier in Rome, where they will aim to make it in to the line-up for September's World Cup finals in Madrid, sounds achievable enough.

Indeed, when the draw for the Qualifier was made last year, at first sight it seemed that Ireland had fared well. True, New Zealand and Korea, two of the world's top hockey nations, were in their pool, but so too were two teams ranked below them - Azerbaijan and Italy - and another, the United States, just one place above them in the world list.

Realistically, it is third or fourth place in Pool B that Ireland will target, either placing putting them in to the play-offs for the fifth and final qualifying spot.

Ireland, coached by Dutch woman Riet Kuper since 1997, have played all three nations in their build-up to Rome, losing twice to Azerbaijan, once to Italy and beating and losing to the United States when they met twice in Argentina. While hockey in Ireland remains a purely amateur game, Azerbaijan will send a squad of professionals to Rome. "Yes, all the players in our team are professional," Rashad Alizade, General Secretary of the Azerbaijan Hockey Federation, told the International Hockey Federation magazine this month.

Italy, meanwhile, have taken a leaf out of their rugby cousins' book, introducing a handful of gifted Argentinians to their squad (Argentina are the reigning World champions), hoping they have the same impact on their fortunes as, say, Diego Dominguez had on Italian rugby

As for the United States, Ireland's opponents in their opening game in Rome, there has rarely been much between them and Ireland, but they prevailed in the nations' last meeting in a competitive tournament, their golden goal victory in extra time in the Olympic Qualifier in New Zealand two years ago ending Irish hopes of making it to Athens.

That, then, is the size of the task. Not insurmountable, but if her team succeeds in making it to Madrid it would be the finest hour of Kuper's lengthy reign.

Pool A (world ranking in brackets): China (5), England (9), France (21), Japan (8), Scotland (17), Ukraine (15).

Pool B (world ranking in brackets): New Zealand (6), Korea (7), United States (12), Ireland (joint 13th), Azerbaijan (19), Italy (20).

Already qualified for the World Cup (world ranking in brackets): Holland (1), Argentina (2), Australia (3), Germany (4), Spain (10), South Africa (11), India (joint 13th).

ESB are the National Sponsors of Irish women's hockey and the Irish Women's International Team.