SOUTH African hockey international and penalty corner specialist Greg Nicol has joined Rochester side Holcombe.

Nicol, who top-scored for his country with seven goals at last month’s Olympics, will play for the newly-promoted National Premier League, Division 3, side for the next three years.

The highlight of his Games was when he helped his country to a convincing 5-1 victory over Egypt and he scored a hat-trick in a classification match.

Nicol is a well-known hockey veteran with an incredible record of 235 goals in 186 internationals.

An experienced player and coach who has played for Surbiton and in Belgium and Egypt, he was also the top scorer in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Holcombe director of hockey Steve Haines said: “This signing represents a significant statement of our intent to continue our meteoric rise through the hockey leagues in order to compete with and against the best clubs in the country.

“His appointment will certainly benefit the wealth of young talent at the club.”