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News for 05 December 2014

All the news for Friday 5 December 2014


Argentina super seven shoots host nation into semi-finals

Argentina delight home crowds as they join Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand in semi-finals.


(Photo: Grant Treeby)

NED v GER 1-0 (0-0), AUS v JPN 4-1 (3-0), NZL v ENG 3-1 (1-1), ARG v CHN 7-2 (5-1)

Quarter final 1

Netherlands scrape past Die Danas thanks to van der Pols

It was always going to take a very special goal to win the quarter final encounter between European rivals Netherlands and Germany, and Michelle van der Pols delivered, with a cracking shot, plucked from mid-air.

On a day that Die Danas player Marie Mavers won her 100th cap, the German team took the match to the Netherlands and played with an energy and verve that had been missing in their pool matches.

It was not until the second half that the Netherlands began to work their way into a dominant position. Speaking after the game, Netherlands coach Sjoerd Marijne said that his team played with a lot more energy in the second half and closed down the German space. "We allowed our opponents too much space in the early stages of the game."

Quarter final 2

Hockeyroos storm into early lead against Cherry Blossoms

 Australia set out their stall early with three goals in the opening quarter of their match against the Cherry Blossoms of Japan.

The opening goal was scored by Georgia Nanscawen after just four minutes – the quickest goal of the tournament to date. Three minutes later Jodie Kenny added to her previous three goals with a trademark penalty corner, and then on the ninth minute the hard-hitting defender doubled her match tally with another drag flick penalty corner.

After half-time, the Hockeyroos took the pace off their game and Japan began to get back into the game and in the 51st minute Japan scored after a sharp exchange of passes split the Hockeyroos defence and Shiho Otsuka was on hand to slam the ball home.

Anna Flanagan restored the three goal advantage with a superb drag flick to the goalkeeper – Sakiyo Asana's top right corner.

Quarter final 3

Black Sticks batter England
 
The Black Sticks came out of the starting blocks with intent and purpose, sweeping aside an England side who were playing with none of the flair and passion they had shown in the pool matches. Within 11 minutes the Black Sticks had found their way onto the scoresheet when Rose Keddell deflected a Brooke Neal drag-flick.

Two minutes later England were back in the game when Laura Unsworth (13') scored from a penalty corner and for a moment it seemed that it was game on.

However, New Zealand continued to take the game to England and  second Black Sticks goal came from the stick of Anita Punt (21'), a well-placed penalty corner that just eluded Maddie Hinch. The final nail in the coffin for England was delivered by Stacey Michelesen in the 50th minute.

A delighted Rose Keddell said: "We've really stepped up and we now take the game to the opposition. Since the London Olympics we have moved into the top four and now we want to win something. Our next game is a really big one (a semi-final against Australia) and that is one we really want to win."

Coach of the England team Danny Kerry was emphatic in his praise of New Zealand's approach. "We had too many players who were not on their game, but to be honest, New Zealand were totally on their game from the start. I don't want to make excuses for our team, I want to congratulate New Zealand on their play."

Quarter final 4

ARG v CHN
 
Las Leonas smash China wall of defence

This was a sensational masterclass in skill and sustained attack from Argentina. With Noel Barrionuevo and Carla Rebecchi both in sparkling form, it would be easy to overlook the part China played in this entertaining game, but the Chinese team also played open and expansive hockey for the entire match.

Noel Barrionuevo gave her team the lead in the 10th minute of the final quarter final of the day and two minutes later Pilar Romang made it 2-0 when she pounced on the ball after it hit a China foot. Umpire Sarah Wilson played an excellent advantage and the relatively inexperienced player calmly slotted the ball home to the delight of the home crowd.

The third goal was a drag flicked rocket from Carla Rebecchi and this was followed by a goal from Luciana Aymar, to the delight of her legions of fans.

China fought back through Wang Mengyu, who placed her drag flick precisely past the Argentine 'keeper Belen Succi.

The final goal of the first half was scored by Rebecchi, a master class in precision and power as her shot thundered into the net. After the break, a sublime piece of skill gave Argentina their sixth goal when Rebecchi (50') put the ball under the Chinese goalkeeper for her hat trick.

Barrionuevo scored her second when she converted a penalty corner, but the final goal of the night was China's. Peng Yang hitting home a penalty corner to the delight of her teammates.

"We are so happy," said Rebecchi after the game. "We were effective all over the pitch and we are so proud of our performance."

Despite the scoreline, the China captain Cui Qiuxia said she was proud of her team's performance and felt they had played some good, attacking hockey.

#BestoftheBest #CT2014

FIH site



’Roos reach semis

Hockeyroos' 4-1 win earns first Champs Trophy semi since 2009


Jodie Kenny scored twice in Australia's win

The Hockeyroos are through to the semi finals of the Champions Trophy for the first time since 2009 after a stunning opening quarter against Japan yielded three goals in a one-sided 4-1 win in Mendoza.
 
The result will see the Australian women pitched against the winner of the third quarter final between New Zealand and England in the final-four contest on Sunday morning Australian time.
 
Georgia Nanscawen’s close range diving block rebounded into the goal to give the Hockeyroos a second minute lead before a penalty corner double from Jodie Kenny put Australia in the driving seat just nine minutes in. Two goalless quarters followed before Japan netted a late consolation through Shiho Otsuka, but there was still time for Australia to add their fourth from Anna Flanagan’s unstoppable drag flick high into the goal six minutes from time.
 
Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens said, “We have achieved our first objective in qualifying for the semi finals. We had a specific game plan against Japan and I thought we executed it well, particularly in the first quarter. We knew we had to win penalty corners and execute them well and we did that.
 
“We knew we had to get in front early and have them try to come back at us, which I thought they did well in the fourth quarter when we were perhaps conserving a bit of energy.
 
“It’s so pleasing to reach the semi final and whoever we play – New Zealand or England – we know they will play positively. To reach the semi finals with this young team is really positive for Australian women’s hockey.”
 
With the mercury reaching 35 degrees in the shade the Hockeyroos’ blistering start was too hot to handle. Emily Smith’s probing run in just the second minute was ultimately rewarded as Georgia Nanscawen dived in to block a Japanese goal-line clearance from Kathryn Slattery’s shot with the ball rebounding into the goal.
 
Three minutes later it was 2-0. From the first penalty corner of the match Jodie Kenny fired low into the bottom left corner and just two minutes later she produced a carbon copy for 3-0.
 
Brooke Peris saw a second quarter shot saved by goalkeeper Sakiyo Asano while it took until the third quarter for Australian goalkeeper Ashlee Wells to be tested, keeping out Japan’s first real effort just after half time.
 
Kenny was denied a hat-trick shortly after the start of the fourth quarter as Asano got down well to her right to tip a penalty corner round the post before, at the other end, she cleared from above her head in front of goal after a Japanese corner was deflected.
 
As the match progressed Japan came more into it and with just under ten minutes remaining they made the Hockeyroos pay for turning over possession. Good interplay opened up the Australian defence and Shiho Otsuka was on hand to slide the ball into an unguarded net for 3-1.
 
It was to be mere consolation for Japan though as Australia thwarted any hopes of a comeback when Anna Flanagan opened her account for the tournament, unleashing an unstoppable drag flick into the top left corner to seal the 4-1 win.
  
Australia will face the winner of New Zealand and England, most likely at 6:30am AEDT on Sunday morning. Earlier, the Netherlands defeated rivals Germany 1-0 in the first of the quarter finals, setting up a semi final clash with the winner of Argentina versus China.                  

Women’s Champions Trophy
Quarter Final

Hockeyroos: 4 (3)
Georgia Nanscawen 4 (FG)
Jodie Kenny 7, 9 (PC, PC)
Anna Flanagan 54 (PC)

Japan: 1 (0)
Shiho Otsuka 51 (FG)

Hockeyroos Squad
Athlete (Hometown, State) caps/goals
Started
Edwina Bone (Evatt, ACT) 60/2
Rebecca Dwyer (née Reuter) (Toowoomba, QLD) 12/0
Anna Flanagan (Canberra, ACT) 141/33
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD) 126/73
Karri McMahon (Berri, SA) 59/6
Ashleigh Nelson (Wagin, WA) 167/63
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT) 42/8
Casey Sablowski (née Eastham) (capt) (South Coast, NSW) 220/44
Kathryn Slattery (South Stirling, WA) 7/2
Emily Smith (Crookwell, NSW) 106/45
Ashlee Wells (GK) (Morwell, VIC) 40/0

Used Substitute
Teneal Attard (Mackay, QLD) 196/10
Mathilda Carmichael (Willoughby, NSW) 22/1
Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay, QLD) 62/2
Gabrielle Nance (Kingscliff, NSW) 7/0
Georgia Nanscawen (Melbourne, VIC) 144/29
Amelia Spence (Hobart, TAS) 5/0
               
Unused Substitute
Audrey Smith (GK) (Wynnum, QLD) 1/0

Hockey Australia media release



Australian women's hockey team beat Japan to reach Champions Trophy semi

England lose to New Zealand in Champions Trophy


Jodie Kenny was on target for the Hockeyroos in their 4-1 win over Japan in Mendoza. Photograph: AAP

The Australian women’s hockey team have beaten Japan to book a semi-final spot at the Champions Trophy.

It’s the first time the Hockeyroos have progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament since 2009.

They secured the berth after defeating the Japanese side 4-1 in sweltering conditions in Mendoza, Argentina, on Friday with goals from Georgia Nanscawen, Jodie Kenny and Anna Flanagan.

In the semi-final, which will be played early on Sunday morning (AEDT), the Hockeyroos will meet New Zealand after they beat England 3-1.

“We have achieved our first objective in qualifying for the semi-finals,” coach Adam Commens said.

“We had a specific game plan against Japan and I thought we executed it well.”

In other results, the Netherlands defeated Germany 1-0 in the first quarter-final and will face the winner of the clash between Argentina and China.

The Guardian



Drag flick safety

Further to the article on the legality of a drag flick striking a player on the line published last week, Anna Flanagan proves a raised drag flick can be executed in perfect safety. It shows why the raised drag flick should stay in the game and only the erroneous awarding of a penalty stroke when a defender on the line is struck in the upper body or head should be changed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVzsqb15-Ns



Black Sticks Women storm through to semi-finals


Rose Keddell got on the scoreboard in New Zealand's Quarter-final win over England

The Black Sticks Women’s hopes of making the FIH Champions Trophy final are well alive after a convincing 3-1 win against England in today’s quarter-final in Mendoza, Argentina.

Playing in 37 degree heat, New Zealand built on an early 1-0 lead and will now face trans-Tasman rivals Australia in the semi-final at 8.30am on Sunday (NZ time).

“I thought the girls did really well today, I’m really pleased. The composure and the ability to both attack and defend well and to limit England to one goal and no field goals, I thought was pleasing. Overall, I thought it was a pretty sound performance from us and a real team effort,” said head coach Mark Hager.

With a rest day tomorrow, the Black Sticks will recharge ahead of their semi-final.

“We will be tested in the next one, it will be hard, they always tend to be close games against Aussie. They are a good side and in the last 18 months they have been winning the big games – which is something our group is still learning to do, but hopefully if we have a strong game plan and execute it well, we are in with a good chance,” said Hager.

Today’s win will sit well with the young Black Sticks side after losing to England, ranked sixth, at this year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

“It’s two a piece now against England. We don’t play each other that often and when we do it’s normally a big cross-over game. We won against them at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games to get the bronze, then they won the Olympic bronze medal match in London and beat us at this year’s Commonwealth Games,” said Hager.

New Zealand was first to get on the scoreboard when a desperate dive from Rose Keddell deflected in a drag flick from Brooke Neal, but it was a short lived lead with Laura Unsworth scoring the equaliser just two minutes later from a penalty corner conversion.

The Black Sticks had eight penalty corner attempts throughout the game, and in the second quarter Anita Punt converted her third penalty corner of the tournament, the deflection coming off an English defender on the post.

New Zealand were all guns blazing in the second half and really put the English defence under pressure. Well led by Punt, the forward unit worked well together and the Kiwi defence smothered the few opportunities that England created. 

With 11 minutes left to play, world-class player Stacey Michelsen, who had been instrumental throughout the game, received a cross from Sam Charlton and knocked in a well-deserved goal in front of the posts.

England almost got a consolation goal with a minute left to play, but the ball bobbled its way past the goal and New Zealand took a well-deserved win.

Australia beat Japan 4-1 in the earlier quarter-final this morning while the Dutch have also qualified for the semi-finals and will play either Argentina or China.

RESULTS
Full time: 3-1 (NZ win)
Half time: 2-1 (NZ lead)

NZ goal scorers: Rose Keddell, Anita Punt, Stacey Michelsen

English goal scorers: Laura Unsworth

Hockey New Zealand Media release



England downed by Blacksticks in quarter-final


England dejected after NZ loss in CT QF 2014

England came up against a classy Blacksticks side in their Champions Trophy Quarter Final going down 3-1 to the world number four side. Rose Keddell, Anita Punt and Stacey Michelsen were all on target for New Zealand, while Holcombe’s Laura Unsworth scored England’s solitary goal. The result means that England will now face Japan in the first of two 5th-8th classification matches at 1430 on Saturday. New Zealand will join the Netherlands and Australia who booked Semi Final spots earlier in the day.

Surbiton’s Hollie Webb and Holcombe’s Maddie Hinch received flowers before the game to mark their 50th appearance for England.

In an eventful opening quarter England had the first chance with a deflection from Lily Owsley forcing a save from Sally Rutherford in the Blacksticks’ goal. Despite their fast start, England were put onto the back foot and Maddie Hinch was called upon to keep New Zealand at bay, saving an Anita Punt penalty corner and then blocking well from Petrea Webster. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do to keep out the opener as Rose Keddell deflected another Punt penalty corner into the net to make it 1-0. England levelled straight away as Laura Unsworth slapped home her third goal for England from their first penalty corner of the match.

New Zealand forced a penalty corner at the start of the second quarter but Hinch, on her 50th appearance for England, did well again to see off a deflection from Sophie Cocks. England pressed for a second goal but against the run of play New Zealand took the lead. Punt’s low drag flick beat Hinch via a deflection off Shona McCallin’s stick. England wobbled and but for more heroics from Hinch to keep out Olivia Merry they could have trailed by more than the 2-1 deficit at the break.

In the third quarter, as in the previous quarters, New Zealand forced a penalty corner but Punt’s drag flick was charged down by England’s defence. Chances were increasingly hard to come by as both sides battled for control of a crowded midfield and the 15 minutes passed without any more openings.

Hinch had to be alert in the opening seconds of the final quarter to smother from Merry after good work from Punt. However with four minutes on the clock, the Blacksticks gave themselves a cushion with a third goal. Hinch made a stunning save to turn Michelsen’s deflection onto the bar but the Blacksticks No31 reacted quickest to slam home the rebound. Ellie Watton came agonisingly close to scoring her third of the competition in the last 30 seconds as she latched onto an aerial and beat Rutherford, only to see the ball roll just wide, but England were unable to find the goals they needed and New Zealand celebrated as they booked their Semi Final place.

Quotes – England Head Coach, Danny Kerry:

On the performance: “It was a bright opening spell for us across the first seven minutes or so and we had some good chances, however we rapidly went off our game after that. Three of our squad are suffering with heat stroke following the match and I think it was clear how tough it was out there today; it’s hard enough to play these matches with a full squad of 18 [Alex Danson is currently sidelined after a collision in the first pool match].”

On the Blacksticks: “New Zealand have some quick players and they capitalised on our errors in the high heat. They played with great execution and pace across the game and thoroughly deserved their win and place in the Semi Finals.”

Tomorrow is another rest day in Argentina. England’s next game will be on Saturday against Japan at 1430 [UK time]. Please be aware that match timings are subject to change. All matches are being shown live on Sky Sports.

NEW ZEALAND 3 (2)
Rose Keddell 11 (PC)
Anita Punt 23 (PC)
Stacey Michelsen 50 (FG)                              

ENGLAND 1 (1)
Laura Unsworth 13 (PC)

England Hockey Board Media release



Black Sticks score convicing win over England

By David Leggat


Black Sticks attacker Stacey Michelsen. Photo / John Stone.

New Zealand will play Australia for a place in the Champions Trophy women's hockey final after a convincing 3-1 win over England in Mendoza today.

Lead by outstanding contributions from captain Anita Punt and star attacker Stacey Michelsen, the Black Sticks were well worth the victory which guarantees they will finish no lower than their world ranking of fourth.

It also keeps them unbeaten through the tournament.

A Brooke Neal drive from a penalty corner, aided by a deflection from Rose Keddell, got New Zealand in front after 11 minutes.

England equalised through Laura Unsworth's shot from their first penalty corner a minute later.

A Punt shot from a penalty corner, deflected off an English stick, regained the lead midway through the second quarter.

Michelsen was quickest to react after her shot bounced back off the England crossbar seven minutes from the end and her tap in put the Black Sticks out of reach of an outplayed England.

New Zealand will rue their inability to make more use of eight penalty corner opportunities, but they were full of running, attacked more purposefully and could have had another couple of goals.

The semfinal is on Sunday morning, and a win over world No 2 Australia will put the Black Sticks in their first Champions Trophy final.

World champions the Netherlands will play either hosts Argentina or China in the other semifinal after beating Germany 1-0 today.

Australia progressed to face New Zealand after a 4-1 win over Japan.

The New Zealand Herald



Black Sticks women into semifinals at Champions Trophy

BRENDON EGAN

   
STANDOUT: Stacey Michelsen scored a goal and put in a strong all-round display in the NZ's 3-1 quarterfinal victory over England at the Champions Trophy. Photosport

The women's Black Sticks have set up a trans-Tasman semifinal showdown with Australia at the Champions Trophy hockey tournament.

New Zealand overcame England 3-1 in their quarterfinal clash in Mendoza, Argentina, today (NZ Time).

It was a sweet victory for the Black Sticks considering England beat them on penalties in the semifinals of the Commonwealth Games in August.

New Zealand's first two goals came off penalty corners through Rose Keddell and captain Anita Punt.

Stacey Michelsen went a long way to clinching victory 11 minutes from time.

Michelsen's initial shot was kept out by English goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, but she couldn't stop her rebound effort.

After three unsuccessful first quarter penalty corners, New Zealand made the English pay on their fourth attempt.

Brooke Neal fired in a strong flick, which gained a deflection off Keddell's stick and went into the goal.

England replied immediately off their first penalty corner of the day, courtesy of Laura Unsworth.

The first quarter was a lively affair with England making a bright start to the game. New Zealand eventually got into the contest and finished the quarter the stronger of the sides, having four penalty corner attempts.

Punt scored her third penalty corner goal in two games for the Black Sticks in the second quarter. She sent in a low flick, which deflected off an England's defender stick into the net.

New Zealand did an excellent job of forcing penalty corners. They regularly drove into the circle and frustrated the English by drawing contact between the ball and the defender's feet.

The Black Sticks had eight penalty corner attempts during the game to England's one.

Today's quarterfinal win is another encouraging performance from a New Zealand side, who are missing several of their best players for the Champions Trophy, including Katie Glynn and Gemma Flynn.

Sunday morning's semifinal (NZ Time) will be an intriguing battle.

New Zealand and Australia are extremely familiar with each other after recently meeting in a three-game series in Wellington, which Australia won 1-0, with two games drawn.

Stuff



England women wilt in Mendoza as New Zealand advance 3-1

Danny Kerry's side knocked out at quarter-final stages in Argentina and will play for minor places

By Rod Gilmour


Eyes on the prize: Maddie Hinch has been in fine form in past 12 months for England Photo: Frank Uijlenbroek / England Hockey

England women's campaign wilted in the Mendoza heat on Thursday afternoon as New Zealand advanced to the Champions Trophy semi-finals.

New Zealand, who pipped the Netherlandsto to top England's opposing pool, were looking to avenge a dramatic shoot out defeat at the Commonwealth Games.

They did so in normal time, a 3-1 victory which could have been more but for Maddie Hinch, England's goalkeeper, making some outstanding saves. England will now play for the 5th-8th places after a lacklustre campaign.

An indifferent, if lively opening quarter saw England take the ascendancy before several defensive lapses left New Zealand applying pressure with a series of fizzing hits into the circle.

Hinch, handed her 50th cap before the game, made four saves in that time, but the pressure told in the 11th minute when Rose Keddell scored from a retaken, deflected penalty corner.

The lead lasted barely a minute. A well-worked penalty corner, England's first, left Laura Unsworth in plenty of space to flick home decisively.

Before the break, Anita Punt struck home the Black Sticks' second penalty corner, against the run of play. Hinch was rooted to the spot for a second time as Shona McCallin was left despondent at diverting into her net.

England tightened up in the second half - they managed one penalty corner to New Zealand's eight - but Danny Kerry's side still failed to find ball retention when it mattered and Stacy Michelsen's fourth quarter goal from close range left the Commonwealth silver medallists with a mountain to climb.

The Telegraph



The men's Champions Trophy by numbers

A piece of history before the action starts in Bhubaneswar


Teun de Nooijer is the most decorated player in CT history having 13 medals in total. (Photo: FIH / Frank Uijlenbroek)

The first men's Champions Trophy was held in 1978 at the behest of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, and indeed it was the Green Shirts who picked up the trophy on the first two occasions. The Pakistan team then won the event a third time, in 1994, but in subsequent years they have scored no higher than a bronze. They will be hoping to build on the third place finish they achieved in 2012.

Top performers at the event is without doubt Australia, the Kookaburras have won the tournament 13 times, including on the last five occasions. Germany, competing as both West Germany and then Germany are their closest rivals on nine gold medals and the Netherlands on eight. Of the 15 teams who have ever competed in the Champions Trophy, five teams have never won the tournament – Great Britain (also competing as England), Korea, Argentina and India.

One team with very little Champions Trophy history but a lot of aspiration is the Belgium Red Lions. The team ranked 4th in the world first participated in a Champions Trophy in 2012, beating Germany 5-4 in the 5/6 place play-offs. In that tournament, the only other team they beat was England, so sharp-shooter Tom Boon and his fellow Lions will want to make a far bigger impact this time around.

Germany and the Netherlands are two teams with proud traditions in the Champions Trophy, but with Germany not winning a medal in this competition since 2009 and the Netherlands becoming known as perpetual silver medallists, both sides will be out to steal the crown from Australia. The Netherlands took the 2012 final to extra time, but found the Kookaburras just too strong in front of goal.

England has played in eight previous editions of the competition, either as Great Britain or England. In that time they have never beaten Australia, drawing twice and losing on six occasions, including a tight 2-1 loss in the 2010 final.

While the Australian team might dominate the trophies, it is four Dutchmen have the highest number of medals adorning their trophy cabinets. Teun de Nooijer has 13 in total, including six gold medals, while Jeroen Delmee also has six golds, with 12 medals to his name in total. Guus Vogels and Sander van der Weide also have six gold medals, a feat only matched by Jamie Dwyer of Australia and Carsten Fischer of Germany. Both de Nooijer and Delmee have also played in the most Champions Trophies, de Nooijer played a record-breaking 17 times – from 1995 to 2005 – while Delmee played in 15 events.

When it comes to goal scoring, the legendary Taeke Taekema holds the record, 48 goals in total, with de Nooijer three behind him and Sohail Abbas of Pakistan on 41 goals. Mark Hager, who is currently head coach of the Black Sticks women's team, holds the record for goalscoring for Australia with 32 goals to his name. The record for the most goals scored in any one edition is currently held by Paul Litjens, another sharp shooter from the Netherlands, who scored 15 times in Karachi in 1980. He was also top scorer the following year, but only found the net 11 times on that occasion - including five against England in one match.

In the hundreds of Champions trophy hockey matches that have taken place since the competition started, only eight matches have ended with a 0-0 scoreline. At the other end of the scale, the highest scoring games have seen goals aplenty. In 2009 Australia beat Spain 10-3; in 1981 the Kookaburras beat the Netherlands in a 7-5 thriller, and the following year West Germany beat England by the same 7-5 scoreline. Australia have also handed out convincing wins to France (9-1 in 1992) and New Zealand (9-1 in 2010).

Of the eight teams participating in this year's event, it is unsurprising to discover that Australia hold the best win record – they have won 58 per cent of all their Champions Trophy matches, with the Netherlands hot on their heels with a 56 per cent win rate. Germany is the only other team with a higher-than-50 per cent win record (51 per cent), while Pakistan is on 45 per cent; Argentina has a 36 per cent win rate; India in on 34 per cent; Belgium's one appearance resulted in a 33 per cent rate; England is on 19 per cent  and New Zealand has a 10 per cent win rate.

While Australia's dominance of this event in recent years has been total, the common consensus among coaches of the participating teams is that this year it could be anyone's tournament. While the Kookaburras are on a winning streak in all competitions, they are also a team in transition, and that can be a vulnerable place to be.

#CT2014 #BestOfTheBest

FIH site



India beat Australia in Champions Trophy practice game


Indian hockey team during a training session. File photo   

Continuing their domination against hockey world champions Australia, India defeated the Kookaburras 2-0 in a practice match Thursday ahead of the Champions Trophy starting Saturday at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Young penalty corner specialist Gurjinder Singh and speedy forward S.V. Sunil scored the goals for the Sardar Singh-led side.

The Sardar Singh-led team looked focused and gritty and dished out a wonderful performance against defending champions Australia.

The match began in fast-paced manner as both the teams fought hard to take the lead but the first two quarters went goalless. Whereas, the third quarter proved to be rewarding for the Indian men as Gurjinder and Sunil proved their mettle and scored the winning goals.

“For us the most important thing is to look at our own games and we have been consistently trying to improve on a few of our weak areas learning from each match we play,” India’s high performance director and interim coach Roelant Oltmans said.

“We would like to improve game by game and the team did a much better job playing against the No. 1 ranked team Australia. The game gave us a lot of scoring opportunities which in turn helped us to win the match over Australia.”

Speaking on the performance, Indian vice-captain, P.R. Sreejesh said, “This was our last practice match against Australia and now we are all prepared to give a much better performance in the upcoming tournament. After winning the match against Australia, we have gained a lot of confidence and hope that we end the tournament on a positive note.”

However, Kookaburras coach Graham Reid rued his side’s missed opportunities and said that they will look to improve their game in the next warm-up game against Argentina.

“Every time we play, we strive to do our best. The Indian team has some very good players. They managed to control the game in the third quarter of the match and materialise all the scoring opportunities in their favour,” Reid, who took over from master tactician Ric Charlesworth in September, said.

“We have a practice match on Thursday against Argentina and we will be looking forward to a good game against them.”

The Hindu



Germany struggle in the searing sun

Indervir Grewal


Belgium beat Germany 4-0 in a practice match on Thursday.

Bhubaneswar - Germany arrived in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday and had their first training session around noon. The weather here in the evening is pretty cool but the afternoon sun is searing.

For the teams like Germany who are coming from cooler climes, adapting to different conditions is going to be quite a challenge. With temperatures dipping below zero back home, the German season has moved indoors. The players had their first outdoor training session in weeks. “We haven’t felt this kind of sun in a while,” said German captain Moritz Furste.

Their preparation for the Champions Trophy was indoor hockey and a four-day national camp. Expectedly, they would need some time to cope with the conditions, which showed during their practice match in the late afternoon. The Germans seemed slow and tired during their 4-0 defeat to Belgium, who arrived four days ago.

England captain Barry Middleton, when asked about which team he feels would be their toughest opponents, said: “It’s the Champions Trophy and every team will be tough to play. But I guess the sun will be the toughest opponent.”

England players have also come from chilly conditions; their outdoor season had already ended due to falling temperatures.

But whatever the change in conditions, it should not make much difference to these world class athletes. “We are coping. We are drinking a lot of fluids. We have had three light training sessions and have played a practice match against Netherlands. We deliberately pushed ourselves in the match to get used to the conditions.”

There is no doubt that the Germans will catch up with the Belgians and Dutch, who have been here for seven days. However, it was fun to watch the Germans struggle in t

Sardar, Rupinderpal skip training

India had a practice session in the evening, but captain Sardar Singh, though present at the ground, didn’t take part. “He is still nursing a calf injury. But he will most probably play the first match,” said Jude Felix, assistant coach of the team. However, Roelants Oltmans, head coach, later said that the final call about Sardar playing the first match would be taken tomorrow. Sardar seemed like he was just killing time, alternating between dribbling the ball and looking up at the ongoing training. Later he was seen with an icepack on his calf. While Sardar watched, the rest went through a few drills, played a six-a-side game and then tried out some penalty corners variations. VR Raghunath and Gurjinder Singh were at the centre of the proceedings, while Rupinderpal Singh was absent from training. Felix told that Rupinderpal had a slight cold, but later said that he had gone for an promotional interview. Felix ‘wasn’t sure’.

The Tribune



Belgium stuns Germany; Australia blanks Argentina

Belgium notched up a stunning 4-0 win over Germany in their first practice match, while Australia blanked Argentina 2-0 in another warm-up game ahead of FIH Men’s Champions Trophy in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

The opening goal for Belgium came through the stick of Sebastien Dockier, followed by Tanguy Cosyns who scored the second goal. Tom Boon produced another beautifully crafted goal at the Kalinga Stadium.

Belgium is grouped in Pool A, whereas Germany will be playing in Pool B.

Speaking after the match, Belgium player, Thomas Briels said, “I am glad we started with a win in the first practice match of the tournament. We are very happy to be here and excited to start the tournament.

“All the conditions are in place, the pitch is also nice and we expect a lot of supporters and look forward to play our first match of the tournament against Pakistan.”

Placed in Pool A, Australia notched up their first goal through Russell Ford, while the second goal of the match was scored by Matt Gohdes.

While Argentina missed all the probabilities of scoring goals in the entire match without any opening, Australia advanced the lead to 2-0 and ended the game on a winning note.

Commenting after the match played, Australian player, Russell Ford said: “Our main aim is to keep improving each day and implementing our strategies on field as we will face tough challenges from the top eight teams of the world.

“The Hero Men’s Champions Trophy is one of the major tournaments in hockey and we certainly can’t afford to lose a single game. We are here to play our best in the tournament.”

The Hindu



Sardar Singh doubtful for opener

Even as India hockey captain Sardar Singh remained doubtful for the Champions Trophy opener against Germany owing to a calf muscle injury, High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans did not rule out the possibility of the ace midfielder playing on Saturday.

Sardar, who pulled his left calf muscle during India’s practice match on Wednesday, sat out of Thursday’s training session at the Kalinga Stadium here with a heavy ice-pack wrapped around his leg.

“Sardar is much better today. We will take a final call (on his participation in the tournament opener) on Friday.

“It is better to take it easy when we have six matches to play,” said Oltmans, acting as the chief coach for the tournament.

The Hindu



Pakistan has capability to advance into quarterfinals: Indian skipper


Sardar Singh from India (L) runs the ball during the final match of field hockey Test series against Australia in Perth. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: Indian hockey captain Sardar Singh said Pakistan has the arsenal in their disposal to progress to the next stage of the FIH Champions Trophy to be held in Bhubaneswar, India, from Dec 6.

“I welcome Pakistan team to India. I will take this opportunity to wish them all the best and I hope we have a clash against them in the next stage of the tournament.

“Their team is strong and that they have the capability to beat the rivals in their pool and advance to the next phase of the tournament”, India.com quoted Sardar as saying.

Sardar hoped to face the Pakistan in the knock-out stages of the tournament.

Pakistan are placed in Pool A alongside world champions Australia, Belgium and England, while Pool B comprises host India, Netherlands, Germany and Argentina.

However, Pakistan skipper Imran Mohammad is eyeing at least a last-four finish. “I have been to India before and it's a great feeling to be back.

“While preparing for the Champions Trophy back home, we have been working on our weaknesses that we discovered during the 17th Asian Games.

“Reaching the semi-finals is our main target at the moment. We are also focused on improving our world ranking”, he said.

Pakistan will face Belgium in their tournament opener on Saturday.

Dawn



India, Pakistan building toward Champions Trophy


In this photo, Pakistan's Rasool Shafqat (right) makes a pass past India's Kothajit Singh and Gurbaj Singh during the men's hockey final match of the 2014 Asian Games. — AFP/File

NEW DELHI: Sub-continental rivals India and Pakistan have had a taste of field hockey's new four-quarter format and will be aiming to capitalise on that experience as they take on the best in the Champions Trophy which gets underway on Saturday.

India defeated Pakistan for the Asian Games gold in October, under the new format of four 15-minute quarters instead of the previous format of two 35-minute halves.

The experience should be beneficial but is unlikely to be enough to arrest India and Pakistan's decline in a sport they dominated in the past, having been superseded by the likes of Australia, Germany and the Netherlands which play at greater pace.

Many international players also have the benefit of Indian conditions and playing at the Kalinga Stadium, having competed in India's professional franchise-based league.

“Some of our players have played at this ground during the Hero Hockey Indian League, which will help us to understand the ground better,” Australian captain Eddie Ockenden said ahead of the tournament.

“The 2012 Champions Trophy in Australia was a great tournament for us and we want to repeat the same success here in Bhubaneswar.”

Australia, which lost a recent home series to India 3-1, is looking for a sixth consecutive title and 14th overall.

“We've been experimenting with our sides and have some promising players. But India is a much improved team. When we played against them last month, they were really good and so they are the team we are looking at closely,” Ockenden said.

At the Asian Games, Pakistan may have lost the final against India but did have the satisfaction of beating its neighbor in the group stage.

“We have got a good team that beat India in the league at Incheon,” said Sheikh about the Mohammad Imran-led team, which failed to qualify for this year's World Cup in the Netherlands and did not field a team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow due to a split in its national Olympic association.

The Pakistan team also failed to send its team abroad for smaller tournaments owing to a cash crunch and has been able to make this trip only because of a late-arriving sponsorship, but Sheikh says the team has hope since it finished third at the last Champions Trophy beating India 3-2 at Melbourne.

Though Indian hopes are high, a 4-0 defeat to Australia in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games final and the fact that they have just recently lost the services of coach Terry Walsh, counts against the hosts. The tournament is being played on a league basis with all eight assured of quarterfinal berths.

“Our aim will be to win every match we play and the most important thing is to keep improving our game during the tournament,” Belgium coach Jeroen Delmee said. “I'm happy with my team but this will be a big test for us and no team can take other teams for granted.”

India is in Pool B along with the Netherlands, Germany and Argentina while Pakistan's Pool A rivals are Australia, Belgium and England.

Dawn



Carson hoping break will bring him back to his best


Tom Carson in action at RHWC2014

After a tough World Cup in The Hague this summer, Tom Carson was missing from the squad who picked up a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. However, with an impressive block of training in the central programme under his belt, the Reading striker has fought his way back into the reckoning for the Champions Trophy. With international hockey becoming a year-round pursuit, the break over the summer appears to have done him good:

“Part of the problem I had was the draining effect 18 months of international hockey had on me, having previously not played at that level. I could’ve gone back onto the pitch to try and work on my game, but I spent a month doing as little hockey as I could.” he adds “I played some football and some cricket, not to a great standard, but it took my mind off hockey. I put some time into my business which had some fun and exciting things going on. The main point was to do other things so I could come back fresh and ready to work hard again.”

Carson, who will collect his 50th cap in India couldn’t have asked for a more exciting return to the international fold with the atmosphere in India a factor he cites as something special:

“It’s exciting to play in places like India. The crowds are something else. They love hockey and make so much noise. You can try but you can’t shut them out. You always know there will be people cheering for you and against you. You have to try and get that kick and extra buzz out of it and use it to your advantage and play well.”

As well as the crowd and the atmosphere, the Champions Trophy is made up of the best teams around. The 24-year-old recognises that each team carries their own threat, but he highlights two in particular he is relishing coming up against:

“You always look forward to Australia. You know it’ll be a really hard, physical game. Likewise the Belgians. We’ve had some really tough duels with them over the past few years. They always think they’re better than us and we think we’re better than them. We seem to keep coming up against each other and having those rematches so I’m sure this one will be as competitive as ever.”

In terms of targets for both the team and him personally, Carson is philosophical:

“I’m due to get my 50th cap which I’m very proud about and I’d like to score some goals, obviously but the team goal is more important. The teams are all tough in this competition but we want to win every tournament we play in. As long as we compete and hopefully win a medal I think we’ll be happy.”

England kick off with an Ashes clash against Australia on December 6. They then go toe to toe with Pakistan and European rivals Belgium on December 7 and 9, respectively.

England Hockey Board Media release



Ford welcomes changes in format

Y. B. Sarangi



Russell Ford has been around long enough to feel like a “veteran” now. The prolific goal scorer, on whom the legendary Ric Charlesworth had a big influence, knows his role well in the world No. 1 Australian team which is going through a period of transition.

Russell, who has won a Champions Trophy gold (2012), a World Cup silver (2006) and an Olympic bronze (2012), thinks changes are inevitable and accommodating youngsters in the side is part of the process to move on.

“You quickly become one of the veterans of the team. It comes up on you all of a sudden. I try not to do things very differently. I help out the younger guys whenever I can by giving advice. I think it is important you enjoy the game and show them how you have gone about the business in a very effective manner,” said the 31-year-old, who is in the profession of managing players.

Happy to be back

After toiling hard in a practice match against Argentina in the run-up to the Champions Trophy at the Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday, Russell said he was happy to be back in the Aussie side after missing this year's World Cup and Commonwealth Games owing to a calf tear.

On the change at the helm in his team, with Graham Reid taking over from Charlesworth, Russell said, “We have a new coach, but he has been part of the group for the last 6-7 years. There are minor changes here and there but most things remain the same. Even if we didn’t change the coaches, we would definitely be making some changes because if you don’t (change) then people go past you.

“The transition has been good. Although the young guys have not played that many matches, they have been involved in the national training camps for a while. They have done all the hard work and are ready to take the next step.”

Russell was also comfortable with the change in format, featuring four quarters instead of two halves. “Being in quarters now, you probably get more breaks in the game. You stay fresher. If you want to play high-intensity hockey, this format helps. However, in the end, it hasn’t changed that much because with the rolling substitution we were getting breaks in the past as well.”

The Aussie hoped that the new format would commercially benefit hockey and make it a popular sport on television.

The Hindu



Top four is our realistic target: Lalit

Tazeen Qureshy

Whenever Indian hockey has notched some achievement, it has often been followed by some disaster. It was true this year as well, when the team had to face the resignation of coach Terry Walsh after a successful stint under him.

If one would try to draw a parallel of Indian hockey and its lows and compare it with a player, it would be none other than Lalit Upadhay.

Lalit’s story is the same. At the peak of his career, when he should have been representing the country and winning laurels, the young player from Uttar Pradesh was instead caught up in the politics of the federations and his career was almost finished after his name propped up in the sting operation by a TV channel.

So when early this year, Hockey India League franchise Kalinga Lancers purchased him, he knew it was a second life for him and he could use it as an attempt to get back in the team. He did exactly the same.

Though his selection for the Champions trophy has not come as a surprise after his recent performance, he remains the only player in the team who is least capped.

“I made my debut in the World Cup held early this year. I was also the part of the Australian tour. I have not played a lot of matches, but whenever I have, I have always given my best,” Lalit said on the sidelines of the practice session.

Choosing not to speak about the controversy in the career, he says his focus is completely on Champions trophy and there is excitement for the same.

“It was unfortunate. But, I don’t think about it. I don’t try to bring negative thoughts in my mind anymore. It’s time to move forward,” Lalit added.

“The team is currently looking forward for the Champions Trophy. Since the tournament is being held in India, it is more exciting and special. Bhubaneswar is also my home-ground as I play for Kalinga Lancers in Hockey India League.”

Lalit is quick to see India in the top-four and says the target is realistic. “A top-four finish is what we are looking at. If we play according to the instructions we have been given by our coaches, the target is achievable,” he said.

Stick2Hockey.com



Men's CT photographs

Pic of the day

Unveiling of the Champions Trophy

If any newspaper/media outlet or National Association would like photos from the Men's Champions Trophy, please contact Vino John of a2zfotographics who is an excellent freelance Hockey photo journalist and who will be at Bhubaneswar.
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www.a2zfotographics.com



Enlightened Hockey India proposes three cities for World Cup

by Mihir Vasavda

The uneasy silence inside the dusty Kalinga Sports Complex is abruptly broken by what appears to be a minor scuffle outside the rear entrance. A group of young college students have bunked their last lectures just to make it in time for India’s practice session. Along with a few other hockey aficionados, they are around 50 of them. But the security guards won’t let them in. It’s a closed practice session, not meant for the general public. But the students wouldn’t have any of it. They try to jump over the 10-foot high wall, just to catch a glimpse of the national team.

Looking at the excitement among the locals, it’s easy to understand why Hockey India has been keen to bring major tournaments to the smaller centres. In Delhi and other major cities, they’ve had trouble getting people for the main tournament, let alone practice sessions.

But as they learnt over the last few days, hosting a large-scale tournament at these centres comes with its own sets of challenges. Such are the logistical hurdles the organisers have had to face in the build up to the Champions Trophy, which begins here on Saturday, that Hockey India seems to have made up its mind to host the 2018 World Cup in three different cities instead of the original plan of conducting it only in Bhubaneswar.

While the stadium is fit to host international tournaments, lack of infrastructure has been the biggest deterrent. “The number of hotels here is less because the city is quite small. For this tournament, we have just eight teams but still we have had trouble finding the right kind of accommodation for them. Take into account the VIPs and the media, it further adds to the problem,” a Hockey India official said.

Apart from hotel rooms, transportation has been another logistical nightmare. The organisers had difficulty in procuring enough buses and cars for the eight teams. “If we are having such trouble for an eight-nation tournament, there is no way we can host a 16-team event in one city,” the official added.

While Hockey India had been mulling the three-city formula for quite some time, the Champions Trophy experience seems to have firmed up their mind. They have proposed the idea to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), who have been positive about it. Apart from Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh and New Delhi are the two other venues proposed.

Indian Express



Odisha gives Rs 30 lakh cash prize to Asian games gold winner Birendra Lakra and other players


Naveen Patnaik.  RNA Research & Archives

Ahead of the eight-nation Champion Trophy in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha government on Thursday gave away cash award of Rs 30 lakh to Birendra Lakra, international hockey player from the state.

The state government also gave cash award of Rs 12 lakh to badminton player Pramod Bhagat as per the Odisha cash incentives for international players.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik handed over two cheques to Lakra (Rs 10 lakh for winning a silver in the 20th Commonwealth Games at Glasgow and Rs 20 lakh for winning gold medal in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon) at the State Secretariat in Bhubaneshwar.

Patnaik also handed over a cheque of Rs 12 lakh to Bhagat for winning a bronze medal in the Para Asian Games 2014 at Incheon, South Korea.

The chief minister quickly responded to the Indian team players (here to participate in the Champions Trophy) complaint that Lakra was yet to receive any intentive from the state government while they have been awarded with cash prize in their respective states.

The hockey players apprised their displeasure towards the government when Odisha's sports minister Sudam Marandi met them at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar. Sports secretary Saswat Mishra had earlier assured that Lakra would be given the enhanced cash award announced by the state government on a day when India were not playing a match in the Champions Trophy.

A state government's notification on October 29 this year, had announced that it would offer double the amount of cash award given by the central government to sports persons who win medals at international events.

DNA



Indian colts maul New Zealand 5-1 in series opener

NEW DELHI: India's junior men hockey team made a promising start to their Test tour of Australia, spanking New Zealand 5-1 in the opening match at the Gold Coast, Australia on Thursday.

The match began with both the teams playing attacking game and it took India just seven minutes to break the deadlock through Mandeep Singh.

Three minutes later the Indians were awarded a penalty corner and Varun Kumar effortlessly converted the opportunity to give a 2-0 lead to his team.

India tripled their lead in the 16th minute when young Harmanpreet Singh scored from another penalty corner.

Down 0-3, New Zealand frantically tried to penetrate the Indian defence and managed to score their lone goal, a field effort, in the 25th minute.

Indian striker Parvinder Singh stroke a beautiful field goal in the 50th minute to enhance the lead before Sumit Toppo converted a penalty corner four minutes later to complete the scoreline.

The Times of India



Gold Coast: India 5 NZ 1 at FT

s2h Team

India made their Australian campaign in style winning the opening match comfortably 5-1 against New Zealand. Harjeet Singh's team led the Kiwis 3-1 at half time.

With the help of field goals and a penalty corner conversion by Harmanpreet Singh, India leads New Zealand 3-1 at half time in the Gold Coast 4-Nation, Australia.

India led 3-0 till 24th minute when it conceded a solitary goal of the first half. India struck two quick goals after lemon time, one through penalty corner to take unassailable 5-1 lead

Stick2Hockey.com



Refreshed and excited Archibald back in black



Veteran Ryan Archibald is the third most capped Black Sticks player of all time, but he’s feeling like a debutant ahead of the upcoming four test series against Canada.

The Black Sticks play in Nelson on the 9th and 10th of December at 6.30pm before travelling to Christchurch for games on the 13th and 14th at 3.00pm.

Third on the all-time list with 274 test caps, the 34-year-old hasn’t played for the Black Sticks since the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Following the Olympics, Archibald took a break from the National Squad to pursue his career and complete a Master of Business Administration degree.

He has also continued to play hockey for his region Auckland and earlier this year signed a lucrative two-year deal with the Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League.

Through everything though, the lure to make a comeback continued to tempt Archibald back into the black singlet.

“After the London Olympics I was disappointed with the end result so mentally that took time to get over,” he said.

"I’m keen, fresh and looking forward to having another crack at the international game. I feel a bit like a debutant myself so it’s all a learning curve.

“I haven’t been involved for a couple of years but I’ve seen some really good things since Colin has taken over as coach and am looking forward to being a part of that.

“I want to prove I’m still good enough to be there and am still one of the top players in the country, so I will have to learn the new culture of the team and try to fit in.”

It's the first time a New Zealand men's team has played in Nelson since 1952, while the Black Sticks haven't taken to the turf in Christchurch since before the devastating 2011 earthquakes.

Joining Archibald will be striker Nick Wilson, who is also playing his first game for New Zealand in two years having recovered from a serious and complicated knee injury.

Tickets are selling fast and available now through www.dashtickets.co.nz and are cheaper to buy online than at the gate.

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Women’s National Program names 2015 Senior National Team and Development Squad

Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Women’s National Field Hockey Program confirmed its 2015 Women’s National Team (WNT) and Senior Development Squad (SDS) rosters on Thursday.

The National Team consists of thirteen athletes who are considered ready for International competition and will increase as athletes from the SDS and the soon-to-be-named Junior Development Squad (JDS) become competition-ready.

Fifteen athletes have been named to the Senior Development Squad, which is reserved for players who are considered close to breaking through to the WNT and are continually making progress towards Senior International competition.

The National Team is led by twenty-five year-old Kate Gillis (Kingston, ON) who returns as team captain. Veteran forward Thea Culley (Rossland, BC) leads the team international games played with 118. At twenty years-old, Hannah Haughn (North Vancouver, BC) and Maddie Secco (Victoria, BC) are the youngest on the roster.

The women are entering a year of competition during which qualification for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Brazil is up for grabs through two qualification pathways. The first being the World League tournament, the second being the Pan American Games, which Canada hosts in Toronto in the summer of 2015.

In preparation for these two tournaments, the WNT will take part in many test tournaments throughout the year, for which – as will be done for World League and the Pan Am Games – specific touring rosters will be named.

Note: The 2015 Women's Junior Development Squad (JDS) will be named Friday, Deceber 5th.

The WNT, SDS and JDS work in contiual syngery. Click here for an infographic illustrating the National Program player pools.

2015 Women’s National Team

Name

Position

Hometown

Abigail Raye

Midfield

Kelowna, BC

Brienne Stairs

Forward

Kitchener, ON

Danielle Hennig

Defender

Kelowna, BC

Hannah Haughn

Midfield

North Vancouver, BC

Kaelan Watson

Defender

Vancouver, BC

Kaitlyn Williams

Goalkeeper

White Rock, BC

Karli Johansen

Defender

North Vancouver, BC

Kate Gillis (Captain)

Forward

Kingston, ON

Kristine Wishart

Midfield

Hamilton, ON

Madeline Secco

Midfield

Victoria, BC

Natalie Sourisseau

Midfield

Kelowna, BC

Sara McManus

Defender

Tsawwassen, BC

Thea Culley

Forward

Rossland, BC 

2015 Senior Development Squad

Name

Position

Hometown

Beckett Frisch

Goalkeeper

Calgary, AB

Lauren Logush

Goalkeeper

Richmond Hill, ON

Katarina Angus

Defender

West Vancouver, BC

Shanlee Johnston

Defender

Vancouver, BC

Kathleen Leahy

Defender

Victoria, BC

Alison Lee

Defender

Mississauga, ON

Rosie Beale

Defender

Victoria, BC

Amanda Woodcroft

Midfield

Waterloo, ON

Alex Thicke

Forward

North Vancouver, BC

Steph Snyder

Midfield

Waterloo, ON

Tegan Stairs

Forward

Kitchener, ON

Priya Randhawa

Forward

Surrey, BC

Steph Norlander

Forward

North Vancouver, BC

Holly Stewart

Forward

North Vancouver, BC

Nikki Woodcroft

Midfield

Waterloo, ON


Field Hockey Canada media release



Support for hockey

Rashneel Kumar

THE Fiji Hockey Federation is overwhelmed with the support from the corporate bodies towards the Oceania Pacific Cup Championship to be held in Suva this weekend.

The weeklong tournament which starts tomorrow at the National Hockey Centre will feature Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Australian Country and New Zealand Presidents.

Yesterday, the federation received another major support from its corporate partner, Goodman Fielder (Fiji) Limited through its brand Crest Chicken.

The company provided outfit (T-shirts and caps) for the volunteers who will be assisting in the running of the tournament. Federation development officer Tai Smith said Goodman Fielder (Fiji) Ltd had always supported them.

She said the company came onboard in the eleventh hour to provide the uniform to the volunteers.

Smith said while most of the Pacific Island teams were struggling financially, support from companies such as Goodman Fielder was always welcomed.

The Fiji Times



Beighton Cup: It’s Indian Oil again

Principal Correspondent



Indian Oil snatched an equaliser three minutes from the hooter and then went on to upstage Punjab National Bank 5-4 via tie-breaker in an eventful final of the 119th all-India Beighton Cup hockey at the SAI Eastern Centre ground here on Thursday.

The Mumbai-based Indian Oil fired up an early lead with Harman Singh striking a nice field goal. Making its second final entry in three years, PNB stung back 10 minutes later through Hardeep Singh who fetched the equaliser with a fine effort.

Damandeep Singh put the bank-men in the lead with a spectacular effort in the 33rd minute. PNB nurtured the lead, firming up its defence in the second-half. Gagandeep Singh, who was named ‘player-of-the-tournament’, essayed a sharp cross on the PNB goalmouth, which Roshan Minz flicked home past Shamsher Singh, the PNB goalkeeper, who had a nice match otherwise (2-2).

The resultant tie-breaker saw the experience of former Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan coming good for Indian Oil.

Chauhan saved three attempts of PNB players — that of Arjun Antil, Hardeep Singh and Yudhvir Singh — to clear the coast for Indian Oil.

Damandeep Singh and Mathias Minz could find the target for PNB while Gagandeep Singh, Sumeet Singh and captain Dipak Thakur scored for Indian Oil to clinch the crown.

The result: Final: Indian Oil 2 (Harman Singh 7, Roshan Minz 67) drew with Punjab National Bank 2 (Hardeep Singh 17, Damandeep Singh 33). India Oil won 5-4 via tie-breaker.

The Hindu



Indian Oil win Beighton Cup Hockey tournament

KOLKATA: Former India international Deepak Thakur struck the winner to help Indian Oil pip Punjab National Bank in the penalty shootout and clinch the title in the 119th All India Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament on Thursday.

The last edition's runners up Indian Oil trailed 1-2 at halftime after PNB struck through Hardeeep Singh 17th and Damandeep Singh 33th.

First it was Harman Singh (18th) who had canceled out the 0-1 lead while Roshan Minz (67th) struck the equaliser as Indian Oil forced the match to a shootout finish with a 2-2 stalemate in the regulation time.

Sumeet Singh, Gagandeep Singh and Thakur scored for Indian Oil while Damandeep Singh and Mathias Minz netted for the PNB.

The Times of India



Rampant UniKL take on wounded Tigers

By Jugjet Singh


Team managers (from left) Abdul Rahim Musa (Maybank), Louis Gregory (Sapura), Mohammad Saberi (THT), Ahmad Anuar (KLHC), Adam Izamry Idrus (TNB) and Mohd Faiz Isa (UniKL) pose with the TNB Cup trophy on Tuesday. Bernama pic.

HIGH-FLYING UniKL will tread with caution when they face wounded Maybank Tigers in the knock-out stage of the TNB Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.

Even though entering the crucial stage at the back of a 5-1 win over KLHC, UniKL have their feet rooted on the ground: “We’re very happy with the high note 5-1 win over KLHC, but we know the knock-out stage is a different game all together.

“Maybank are well known for doing well in the knock-out stage in previous seasons, and being winless (five draws) this season, the Tigers will definitely be out to make an impact as well,” said UniKL Hockey president Amir Azhar Ibrahim.

UniKL and Maybank played to 1-1 and 0-0 draws in the league.

UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj said they want to play in the semi-finals: “We have continued to improve as a team and are finally getting the results we deserve.

“That result against KLHC will serve as strong motivation for us,”” he said.

In the other playoff, Tenaga Nasional will play Sapura and Nor Saiful Zaini’s men will be confident, having beaten Sapura 1-0 and 2-0 win in their league meeting.

The winners of the UniKL-Maybank match will meet champions Terengganu Hockey Team in the semi-finals, while KLHC await the winners of the Sapura-TNB tie.

Today: UniKL v Maybank (6pm, National Hockey Stadium, Pitch II ); Tenaga v Sapura (8pm, Pitch II).

New Straits Times



Easy pickings for Tenaga and UniKL in TNB Cup semis

By S.Ramaguru


Maybank's B. Namasivayam (left) takes control of ball posession from TNB's Azril Misron during their Malaysia Hockey Premier League at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil last month. - Filepic

UALA LUMPUR: Going by recent form, Tenaga Nasional and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) should get past their playoff rivals and check into the semi-finals of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) for the TNB Cup.

Tenaga will be up against Sapura while UniKL will meet Maybank in the two-leg playoff ties. The winners will advance to the semi-finals next week against Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC).

Tenaga, who finished third in the Premier Division, do have a slight edge over Sapura, thanks to them having several experienced players who have played at this level before.

Sapura, also former champions like Tenaga, will be hoping that their players can recover from their recent indifferent form they displayed in the preliminary round.

Sapura, coached by Tai Beng Hai, have the potential to surprise the big teams, though the recent run of poor results is a worrying factor.

But Beng Hai believes that the knockout stage, with its home and away format, offered Sapura a chance to salvage their season.

“It is over two matches ... we need to stratergise accordingly. I believe that my team will rise to the occasion.

“We have played Tenaga many times and we know what they are capable of,” he said.

Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini agreed with Beng Hai’s assessment, saying that the knockout format will not favour any team.

“This is all about the teams’ form on match day. You have just two matches to get it right.

“In the league, you had 10 matches to get the points. We must make sure that the first match goes our way ... or ends up as close as possible,” said Nor Saiful.

“Only then is there a good chance for us to get the job done in the second game.”

The other playoff will see UniKL having the upper hand against a Maybank team still searching for their first win of the season.

Of the 10 matches they played in the Premier Division, Maybank drew five and lost five.

But Maybank coach Wallace Tan is optimistic also.

“We will take each game seriously. I’ll make sure the players give their best. It is always touch-and-go in the knockout stages, so we’ll fancy our chances as well,” he said.

UniKL have had their sights trained on the playoffs since they lost sight of the Premier Division title.

“We are playing better and there’s improvement overall in the team. But we cannot take Maybank for granted,” said UniKL coach A. Arulselvaraj.

“They may not have won any matches thus far but they are still a strong team.

“I want to focus on how my players fare and try to ensure that they are mentally ready for the game.”

The Star of Malaysia
 



Junior league set to kick start 2015 hockey calendar

By S. Ramaguru


The Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) of Johor have been the dominant force in the MJHL in recent years and are expected to continue ruling the roost once again at the MHC-Milo Junior Hockey League. They won the double – league and overall title – last year. - Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: It will be an early start to the hockey calendar next year – with the MHC-Milo Junior Hockey League (MJHL) slated for Jan 16.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have already drawn up their calendar of events for next year and most of their junior events have been scheduled for the early part of the year.

The closing date for entries for the MJHL is Dec 16.

The MHC are expecting no fewer that than 26 teams to sign up for the MJHL.

This year, they had 31 teams in the fray – eight in Division One and 23 in Division Two.

MHC competitions committee executive secretary Hashim Mohamed Yusof said on Thursday that the MJHL had to be held early as the National Juniors have an important tournament in the second half of the year.

“The Junior Asia Cup is a qualifier for the Junior World Cup ... so, the MJHL has to start early so that we can complete it by April.

“Most of the dates for the other tournaments have been comfirmed. We are just waiting for ratification from the council,” he said.

Other age-group meets set to be held in the first half of the year include the Under-16 and the MSSM (national schools) meet.

Hashim also said that a number of teams were keen to field their development sides in addition to their main teams in the MJHL next year.

“So, the number of teams for the MJHL could increase. We will know more once the closing date is over. We are also looking at the format to see if there’s a need for any changes,” he said.

The Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) of Johor have been the dominant force in the MJHL in recent years and are expected to continue ruling the roost. They won the double – league and overall – last year.

The Star of Malaysia



Under-16 Invitational Hockey 5s promises thrilling matches

By S. Ramaguru


From left: Selangor Hockey Association secretary P. Kuganesan, Nestle Marketing Manager Ng Ping Loong, UPM Sports Academy head Dr. Shamala Subramaniam and Malaysian Hockey Confede­ration president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal at the launch of the Under-16 Invitational Hockey 5s. By Norafifi Ehsan/TheStar.

KUALA LUMPUR: Fast and furious.

That’s the kind of game hockey fans can expect in the Under-16 Invitational Hockey 5s on Dec 13 at the Education Ministry Turf in Jalan Pantai.

Twenty teams will be competing in the second edition of the tournament, which is jointly organised by the UPM Sports Academy, Milo, Sports Unite and the Selangor Hockey Association (SHA); sanctioned by the Malaysian Hockey Confede­ration (MHC); and supported by the Ministry of Education.  

The tournament will see 12 teams in the boys’ category and eight in the girls section.

UPM Sports Academy head Dr S. Shamnala said yesterday that Hockey 5s is being actively promoted by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and “is also the format for the Youth Olympics”.

“This a fast-paced game and one that is slowly catching up.

“We had a good response from the teams but were unable to accommodate them since it is just a one-day event. We’ll look at making it a bigger event next year,” she said at the launch of the event at the OCM Building on Thursday.

The Star of Malaysia



Polo continue to lead way in Spain



RC Polo de Barcelona will be aiming to maintain their top spot in the Spanish Division de Honor when they host AT St Sebastian this Sunday on home turf.

They extended their winning run last weekend with a 2-1 win over Jolaseta to sit atop of the table with eight wins from nine outings so far in 2014/15 with two games to go before the winter pause.

Atletic Terrassa remain the closest chasers following a 2-1 win over St Sebastian but both Club de Campo and Club Egara lost ground following their 2-2 draw in Madrid.

It leaves them in a share for third place after round nine of the competition. Campo host UD Taburiente this weekend at home in their bid to get back on track while Egara go to Jolaseta.

The Spanish league will play its 11th round of matches on December 13 before taking its winter break, returning to outdoor hockey on March 1, 2015.

Euro Hockey League media release



National hockey from 27th

SIALKOT: The National Hockey Championship will be held at the Nawaz Sharif Hockey Stadium here from Dec 27 to Jan 9 under the auspices of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), it was announced on Thursday.

Chaudhry Arshad Javed, chief organiser of the championship, disclosed this while talking to reporters here.

PHF Punjab secretary Ajmal Khan Lodhi and former PHF secretary Mohammad Asif Bajwa were also present on this occasion. The chief organiser said that as many as 18 teams from across the country would participate in the national championship.

Dawn



Peshawar Reds win inter-district hockey title

PESHAWAR: Peshawar Reds clinched the trophy after defeating Peshawar Whites in the final of the Peshawar Region Inter-district Hockey Championship at the Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium here on Thursday.

The match took momentum when Peshawar Whites scored a goal through full-back Zahid. After taking lead, Peshawar Whites scored another goal in the 13th minute through Mohammad Qaiser Khan.

Peshawar Whites took two goals lead and dominated the first session while Peshawar Reds’ players were pushed to the wall after conceding two goals.

It was the second session when Peshawar Reds made a comeback, scoring three quick goals through Samiullah, Ismail and Shakirullah in the 56th, 59th and 67th minutes to seal the fate of rivals at 3-2. The match was supervised by Hamza and Haroon Khan Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sports Amjad Khan Afridi was the chief guest on the occasion with whom players were introduced before the start of the match.

Dawn



FIH publish latest Rules of Hockey


(Photo: Treebyimages)

FIH has today published the latest Rules of Hockey agreed at the Executive Board meeting at the FIH Congress on 30th October 2014. They are available for worldwide adoption and effective at international level from 1st January 2015.  The two Rule changes are as follows:

•    The ability to take attacking free hits, awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle, from the point of the offence. The change states that the ball still has to travel at least 5 metres before it can be played into the circle, or alternatively has to be touched by another player of either team, other than the player taking the free hit

•    The second change concerns the re-start, after the ball has unintentionally been played over the back-line by a defender or deflected by a goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges, and no goal is scored. Play will now be re-started with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line. Taking the re-start from the 23 metres line will open up the play and give more passing options

Other rule changes to help improve player safety have also been made, including the rules governing the wearing of facemasks to defend penalty corners which have been amended to increase player safety. A wider range of masks, including metal grill masks, will now be allowed to be used.

As part of FIH’s drive to increase following and create entertaining events, FIH is aligning the Rules of Hockey with the Tournament Regulations that govern playing conditions wherever possible. The aim of this move is to reduce the number of variations between the Rules of Hockey and the Tournament Regulations, avoiding unnecessary confusion for players and fans alike.

The latest Rules of Hockey will incorporate the following Tournament Regulations:

1.    Green Card – two minute suspension
The two minute green card will now provide an additional management aid to umpires at all levels

2.    Stick above the shoulder
The skill adds another dimension to the sport and provides excitement for fans and players alike

3.    Maximum length of Stick
The length of stick, as measured from the top of the stick to the bottom of the head, shall not be more than 105cm

4.    Breaking of a Penalty Corner
The breaking at penalty corners Regulation has effected a significant reduction in the number of breaks at Tournaments, by both attackers and defenders

In general, all current Tournament Regulations governing playing conditions have been adopted into the Rules of Hockey with the exception of regulations that require specialist equipment or officials that might not be available at all hockey pitches. These currently include Match Periods (4 x 15 Minute Quarters and time stoppages for the award of Penalty Corners and Goals), the Penalty Corner Countdown Clock and Video Umpire, which will only be used at FIH World level Tournaments where the contracted full television coverage and facilities enable a viable system.

FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather explains the approach: “FIH is taking this action to remove unnecessary confusion for fans, players, coaches and officials. Our ambition is a global game that is relevant to the next generation and to achieve this ambition we must make it as easy as possible for fans to be fans and for players to enjoy playing”.

For a full overview of all changes and to view the FIH Rules of Hockey, please click here.

FIH site

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