Aussie test up first for White

RIO BID . . . Oldham's Team Great Britain hockey star Nicola White

OLDHAM'S sole Rio Olympic representative - women's hockey star Nicola White - gets her bid for medal glory under way tomorrow night in Brazil.

Part of the 16-strong Great Britain squad, Holcombe's experienced forward flyer White, will hope to feature from the start as world powerhouses Australia are the opening opponents.

The match takes place at 12.30am tomorrow night (Sunday morning) and will be shown on the BBC, either live on a main channel or via the red button.

Team GB then tackle India in their second group stage match on Monday night at 10pm UK time.

Team GB - who secured bronze medals at London 2012 with White in the squad - play five group games initially.

They end on Saturday, August 13, before the quarter-finals stage begin on Monday, August 15.

Meanwhile, the 31st Olympic Games will be launched in Rio tonight with a "cool" opening ceremony, organisers have promised.

"Athens was classical, Beijing was grandiose, London was smart - ours is going to be cool,'' said creative director Fernando Meirelles.