The Dutch have dominated the sport since their gold medal win over Spain at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and with the next Olympic tournament 15 months away in Sydney they will get a further insight into their chances of successfully defending their Olympic crown.

The Netherlands head into the Brisbane top-six ranked trophy winners of a unique grand slam of titles -- besides the 1996 Olympic gold, they have won the 1998 World Cup on their own Utrecht pitch and last year's Champions Trophy in Lahore.

The consistent Spaniards loom as the Dutch team's main rivals having finished runners-up to them at the Atlanta Olympics and at last year's Utrecht World Cup.

Hosts Australia will attempt to discard their bridesmaid tag in their home tournament having chalked up a frustrating sequence of placings - except for last year's CommonwealthGames gold medal win over Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

Australia finished bronze medallists at Atlanta, fourth at last year's World Cup, third at the 1998 Champions Trophy and were beaten by a golden goal in extra time by Germany in the final of the 1997 Champions Trophy in Adelaide.

The champions trophy is field hockey's biggest event this non-Olympic and World Cup year.

The Dutch automatically qualify on three fronts -- the winner of the 1996 Olympics, 1998 World Cup and Champions Trophy, while Australia get a berth as hosts.

Spain, Pakistan, England and Korea, through their rankings at the Utrecht World Cup, make up the top six nations.

England and Korea will launch the tournament in the opening match tomorrow, with Pakistan, winners of 20 of their 31 matches, keen to put their form to the test against the powerful Spaniards later in the day.

While the Dutch dominate the men'S Tournament, Australia holds the whip hand in the adjoining 7th Women's Champions Trophy.

The superbly drilledhockeyroos, under the control of Australian hockey icon Ric Charlesworth, are the reigning Olympic, World, Champion Trophy and Commonwealth Champions and have been voted Australian sports team of the year six times in the last decade.

Putting the hockeyroos to the test will be World Cup runners-up Netherlands, the 1997 Champions Trophy beaten finalists Germany and Olympic silver medallists Korea. Argentina and New Zealand make up the six.

Argentina open the women's tournament tomorrow against the Netherlands, with Australia and New Zealand playing in the late game.