THE UCC men's and women's hockey teams begin the defence of the Mauritius and Chilean Cups they won on home ground last year when they play in today's pool stages of the Intervarsity tournaments in Dublin.

Nine universities will compete in the Chilean Cup, the women's competition, with eight contenders lining out in the Mauritius Cup (UCG have not entered a men's team) at the Dardistown and ALSAA grounds near Dublin airport.

After the completion of the pool stages tomorrow. Dardistown will stage the semifinals and finals on Thursday in the Royal College of Surgeons hosted event.

A Rob Morris goal gave UCC victory over Queen's University in last year's Mauritius Cup final while Sarah O'Callaghan made it a double for the college, in the year of their 150th anniversary, with the winner against UCD at the Mardyke.

The balance of power, however, may have shifted from UCC to Trinity since last year's event. The Cork students will be without Irish international Rachel Kohler, who is playing with Harlequins this season, while Trinity, under the guidance of Dutch coach Rudolph Wortmann, won promotion to division one of the Leinster League and field a talented young team that includes former Irish schoolgirl internationals Jan Perrin, Anya Bowers and Zanya Dahl.

The UCC men's team will expect a sturdy challenge from Trinity and UCD. The University of Ulster, who can include a miscellany of players from senior clubs, and Queen's University will also be much in the reckoning.