ILLAWARRA duo Tristan White and Kieran Govers made a successful return from injury in the Kookaburras win over India to start the International Festival of Hockey.
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White missed the Rio Olympics after hurting his knee during a training session, while Govers has missed more than 12 months with ongoing hamstring, hip and shoulder problems.
But they both came off the bench in a scrappy 3-2 win over India in Melbourne.
“It was disjointed, we lacked composure and energy, and India were much more enterprising than we were,” interim head coach Jason Duff said:
“They shifted the ball well, and they penetrated well, not that they had a lot of opportunity in the first half, but the game was gone because we didn’t move the ball well.
“They were first to the ball most of the time, and at this level if you let them get first to the ball then they’ll beat you.”
The Kookaburras play New Zealand and Malaysia, before the final is on Sunday.