WOMEN'S HOCKEY/World CupIf the Irish players hadn't yet realised the nature of the challenge at this World Cup - and it's very unlikely that they haven't at this stage - the mere fact that they barely had time to recover from their morale-boosting display against world champions Australia on Wednesday before having to turn their attention to today's meeting with Holland told them all they needed to know.
Having escaped the frying pan, you might say, they must now prepare to play with fire.
"Do the Dutch expect to win the World Cup?" Ireland's Dutch coach Riet Kuper was asked yesterday. "Of course," she said, as if it was quite the dumbest question that had ever been put to her.
Do you know the Dutch players well? "I should do - I coached all but two of the current squad when I was in charge of the Dutch under-16s."
So, you know their weaknesses? Kuper smiled. The three listening Dutch hockey reporters laughed. Say no more.
It's unlikely that 28-year-old Dutch forward Mijntne Donners, the most experienced player on the current team with 182 caps, will opt to be goal-shy today, but if she produces anything like her usual form she may offer an apology to "Aunty Riet" at full-time. Yes, she is Kuper's niece.
For Ireland to compete with the Dutch, joint top of the pool with Australia having won their three games to date, they simply must reproduce the stirring performance they gave against the hosts.
"We made crucial individual mistakes in our first two matches but we didn't play badly as a team, we cut out the mistakes against Australia and you saw what we could do. We need to do the same against Holland, that's for sure," said Kuper.
"We have got used to the speed of the game now, the circumstances, the surroundings, what's required - the tension is gone. We played a shorter, passing game against Australia, rather than hitting long balls all the time, and that meant we retained possession much better than before.
"We've learnt, though, that the competition here is three classes higher than we've met before so it has taken time for the players to adjust.
"After the Australian game they know they can match any one when they play to their potential. I have great confidence in this team. Yes, they have shortcomings - tell me about it - but they are capable of competing with anyone.
"Holland, of course, will be tough - they know what they're doing, they have the best defence in the tournament and have a great short corner. I would love, though, to take a point off them," she smiled.
Kuper is expected to choose the same starting line-up for the game, with Pamela Magill and Catherine Murray, again, likely to be in the stand.
It has been particularly disappointing for Murray who was one of Ireland's form players in the final stages of the build-up to Perth - she will hope to get her chance later in the tournament.
In yesterday's pool A action Scotland, who had lost their opening two games and are the lowest ranked team of the 16 nations here, produced the shock result of the tournament, beating New Zealand 2-1, ranked five in the world, making their task of reaching the last four nigh on impossible.
England, too, will need a set of minor miracles if they are to make it to the semi-finals, their cause not helped by two umpiring errors - both of which led to Dutch goals, in Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to Holland.
WORLD CUP (at Perth)
Pool A: Scotland 2, New Zealand 1; Korea 2, Ukraine 2.
Today (local times)
Pool A: Germany v Scotland, 4.05; New Zealand v Korea, 6.05.
Pool B: South Africa v Japan, 9.05; Spain v USA, 11.05; Ireland v Holland, 2.05 (6.05 am Irish time); England v Australia, 8.05.
Ireland coach Riet Kuper: "We've learnt, though, that the competition here is three classes higher than we've met before so it has taken time for the players to adjust."
