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News for 18 April 2019

All the news for Thursday 18 April 2019


Uhlenhorst Mulheim, Waterloo Ducks, KHC Dragons and Mannheimer HC advance to KO8


©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

Uhlenhorst Mulheim, Waterloo Ducks, KHC Dragons and Mannheimer HC all made it through to the KO8 on a spectacular opening day of EHL KO16 action in Eindhoven.

Mannheimer HC got the EHL KO16 weekend off to a flying start as they swept to a 6-0 win over Russian side Dinamo Kazan with Gonzalo Peillat firing the corner rockets.

They scored three times in each half to eliminate the Russian opponents and set up their place in the KO8.

In the next tie, KHC Dragons survived a scare from Irish side Three Rock Rovers before eventually prevailing 4-2.

Twice, Three Rock fought back to equaliser via Jody Hosking and Harry Morris but goals either side of the three-quarter mark from Florent van Aubel and Felix Denayer won the day.

Waterloo Ducks followed them through to set up an all-Belgian game in the last eight when they nicked the result in a shoot-out against Surbiton.

Normal time ended 1-1 after David Goodfield and Renaud Pangrazio shared goals; in the shoot-out, the Ducks held their nerve to win out 4-2.

The last game was a real classic as Timm Herzbruch put in a glorious performance to propel Uhlenhorst Mulheim to a famous KO16 win over HC Oranje Rood, going through to a KO8 date with Mannheimer HC.

His thunderous 51st minute strike crowned a superb performance for the German champions with the hosts bowing out of the competition 3-2.

Thursday, April 18 sees day two of the KO16 matches with another potential series of classics on the cards. French champions Saint Germain meet Club Egara in a rematch of their thrilling 6-4 ROUND1 tie from October 2017 (12.45 CET).

Next up, Royal Leopold take on Real Club de Polo (15.00 CET) before AH&BC Amsterdam meet newcomers Grove Menzieshill (17.15 CET).

The day closes with yet another meeting between former champions SV Kampong and Rot-Weiss Koln (19.30 CET).

Every game will be streamed live on www.eurohockeytv.org while all the highlights and clips from the day will be posted on the EHL social media as they happen!

EHL 2018-2019 Match schedule KO16-FINAL4
17-22 April 2019 at HC Oranje-Rood, Eindhoven (NED)

Wednesday 17 April 2019
KO16 results

- Dinamo Kazan 0 - Mannheimer HC 6 (G Peillat 3, L Vila, F Schues, L Holste);
- KHC Dragons 4 (H Raes, S O'Donoghue, F van Aubel, F Denayer) Three Rock Rovers 2 (J Hosking, H Morris)
- Waterloo Ducks 1 (R Pangrazio) Surbiton HC 1 (D Goodfield), Waterloo win shoot-out 4-2
- HC Oranje-Rood 2 (M van der Weerden, B de Voogd) Uhlenhorst Mülheim 3 (T Herzbruch 2, J Schiffer)

Thursday 18 April 2019
M5 12.45h KO16 Saint Germain HC vs Club Egara
M6 15.00h KO16 Royal Leopold HC vs Real Club de Polo
M7 17.15h KO16 AH&BC Amsterdam vs Grove Menzieshill
M8 19.30h KO16 SV Kampong vs Rot Weiss Koln

Euro Hockey League media release



Peillat hat trick powers Mannheim to victory over Kazan


©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

KO16: Mannheimer HC 6 Dinamo Kazan 0 (3-0)
Mannheimer HC got the EHL KO16 weekend off to a flying start as they swept to a 6-0 win over Russian side Dinamo Kazan with Gonzalo Peillat firing the corner rockets.

After a few missed chances in the first 13 minutes, the Argentina star whipped home a powerful shot down the leg side of the Kazan defence.

Lucas Vila scored a scorching reverse-stick shot drifting away to the left of goal for 2-0 just after the start of the second quarter. And their third goal in six minutes saw Mannheim in complete control when Peillat scored another corner.

And they pulled further clear in the second half when Felix Schues struck in the 41st minute, quickly followed by Luis Holste’s tip in from Danny Nguyen’s shot. Peillat completed his hat trick with five minutes to go from another corner, closing out an impressive win and sealing their place in the KO8.

“It was exactly what we wanted to start the tournament and we want to keep playing on that basis for the next game,” Teo Hinrichs said afterwards.

“The key was we never stopped playing after 2-0 and 3-0. There’s a lot of talents in the forward line but it is also great to have someone like Gonzalo in the backline. He seems to always keep scoring.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Dragons forge strong 4-2 win over Three Rock Rovers


©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

KO16: KHC Dragons 4 Three Rock Rovers 2 (2-1)
KHC Dragons eventually shook off the intentions of Three Rock Rovers 4-2 as their experience told against the Irish champions, putting them through to Saturday’s KO8.

In a lively opening quarter, it was a very different game from the 20-10 they played out last Easter but Dragons did get a good early start. Henri Raes juggled in a ball from close range after Jamie Carr had saved from Florent van Aubel, the striker just about beating Carr’s recovery dive for 1-0 in the first quarter.

Rovers replied with a superb counter-attack goal, Mitch Darling stealing the ball on halfway and he worked the opening via Ben Walker to set up Jody Hosking to sweep in.

Dragons went back in front when Shane O’Donoghue scored a corner against his compatriots for 2-1 in the 22nd minute. Harry Morris, though, levelled the game for a second time early in the second half from another turnover deep in the Dragons half, turning right in the circle and shooting past Tobias Walter.

The Belgian club, however, started to take control in this phase and they went in front via a brilliant diagonal aerial to Robbert Rubens who played the ball perfectly into the path of van Aubel to turn home the chance.

A minute into the final quarter, a clever corner move saw Luke Madeley end up blocking the ball on the line with his foot and Felix Denayer converted the penalty stroke for 4-2.

Rovers had four corners in the last 10 minutes but Walter saved all with comfort to close out his side’s victory.

For Three Rock’s Harry Morris, it was a second EHL goal in two KO16 matches but he was not focusing on his goal.

“First and foremost, to get back to 2-2 from where we were, we are gutted we didn’t kick on from there. There were some sloppy aerials that we let go and give away which, when you get to this stage for European hockey, those lapses lead to short corners and lead to goals and losses.

“We can take a lot from it and this is where we want to be, competing with the best in Europe, at this stage in the competition to get back here. A lot depends on our next game but we will take positives from this and move on.”

Irish man Shane O’Donoghue, meanwhile, said Dragons can learn a lot from this battle: “We knew it would be tough, knowing the guys in the Irish team and playing against them for the last couple of seasons. They have all the Irish traits – they won’t give in easy, made it difficult for us from minute one.

“First half, we didn’t handle it well but the second half, experience showed and we calmed the nerves and took the chances when they came.

O’Donoghue was deployed in a sweeper role rather than the midfield role he plays internationally, something he is enjoying learning.

“Playing in defence, you have to be a bit more intelligent about what you do, not being gung-ho going forward. Maybe we made some mistakes today that could have been costly so it’s important for us to reassess because this gave us a wake-up call that we needed.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Waterloo win through to Dragons rematch in the KO8


©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

KO16: Waterloo Ducks 1 Surbiton 1 (1-1), Waterloo win shoot-out 4-2
Waterloo Ducks won through to the KO8 of the EHL with a dramatic shoot-out win over England’s Surbiton.

It was a very tight contest throughout with precious little between the teams but it was Surbiton who hit the front midway through the second quarter when they got free down the right, playing the ball to the baseline to Zach Wallace where it was returned into the path for David Goodfield to finish.

Within three minutes, though, Waterloo were back on terms with Renaud Pangrazio nicking in to steal the ball from a loose cross-field pass. He wriggled away from the last defender to slam home a brilliant rising reverse-stick shot by Harry Gibson.

Luke Taylor did draw a strong palm save from Vincent Vanasch from the pick of the chances in the second half and so it stayed locked at 1-1, leading to a shoot-out. There, Gauthier Boccard scored and Vincent Vanasch made a brilliant save in the first round for an early lead. In round two, Gibson saved from Gougnard while Zach Wallace was unfortunate as a hooter malfunction denied him an equaliser. From the reset shoot-out, Vanasch came out on top.

The Ducks scored their next three shoot-outs and it meant they prevailed 4-2 despite good finishes from Alan Forsyth and David Goodfield.

It puts them through to a KO8 game with KHC Dragons on Saturday, a rematch of their Belgian playoff of last Sunday which the Antwerp side won 4-1.

“Now we have the chance for revenge against Dragons which will be fun,” Elliot van Strydonck said of that encounter. “The first thing from last Sunday, we had to show more fight, we didn’t play with our hearts. We will have to show more of what we did today, tactically and physically we have to go for every 50-50 to make the difference.

“Today, we knew we were up against a tough team with the English style of fighting until the end. They played quite well and we had a sh*t game in our last game before here in the Belgian quarter-final against Dragons. This week was going to be crucial for our upcoming weeks so winning today was the first step!”

Van Strydonck is a former EHL winner from this time as an Oranje-Zwart player and he added that it was great to back at the club where he has many good memories.

“it’s always nice to be back here; there are so many nice people in the club on and off the pitch and I learned a lot in my years when we won almost everything. It’s a famous club, the best for me in Holland and always nice to be here.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Herzbruch hits the after-burners to send Uhlenhorst Mulheim into KO8


©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

KO16: Uhlenhorst Mulheim 3 HC Oranje Rood 2 (1-1)
Timm Herzbruch put in a glorious performance to propel Uhlenhorst Mulheim to a famous KO16 win over HC Oranje Rood, going through to a KO8 date with Mannheimer HC.

His thunderous 51st minute strike crowned a superb performance for the German champions with the hosts bowing out of the competition.

In a thrilling opening, Herzbruch’s reverse drew a great save from Pirmin Blaak but the ball fell only as far as Jan Schiffer who scooped up the rebound for 1-0 in the third minute.

Goalkeeper Jonas Weissner kept it that way in the face of Rashid Mehmood’s powerful strike with an incredibly agile double-stop as the game raced from end to end.

Mink van der Weerden did equalise in the second quarter with a drag-flick from play, the ball falling kindly to him at the top of the circle and he whipped it from outside to just inside the D and into the goal.

It came just moments after van der Weerden had brilliantly cleared off the goal line and could have been a pivotal moment in the match.

Herzbruch, though, continued to take centre-stage and he hit the turbo button in the second half with a 70-metre run that eventually saw the ball fall back to him after Niklas Bosserhoff’s shot to clip home for 2-1.

Bob de Voogd levelled the game for a second time when he managed to reel in Rob van der Horst’s crash ball, turning quickly and then scoring on his reverse with a moment of true class.

But, with nine minutes to go, Herzbruch was at it again as his speed saw him turn two defenders and find some space to shoot, his rocket beating Pirmin Blaak before he had time to react.

They looked to be holding on comfortably for the result until Oranje-Rood won a corner with 24 seconds to go. Van der Weerden’s drag was charged down but the ball fell to his backhand which he hit with real purpose at the bottom corner but Tobias Matania was waiting to bat away off the line, raising his hands to the crowd to celebrate.

“It’s always intense in the EHL. We played with a great structure," Herzbruch said afterwards. "The atmosphere was fantastic and we had a few hundred fans who came here from Mulheim!

“The next two days we have to regenerate for our German battle with Mannheim. We know them very well from the Bundesliga and let’s see what happens!”

Euro Hockey League media release



Kumar keeps his fingers crossed that he’ll be fit for World Series

By Aftar Singh



KUALA LUMPUR: Goalkeeper S. Kumar (pic) will only know today whether he is fit to play in the World Series at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil from April 26-May 4.

The 39-year-old from Tampin went for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) on Tuesday to see whether he has recovered from a thigh injury.

The Tenaga Nasional employee suffered a 7.5 cm tear in his right thigh during a match in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) last month.

He did not feature in the six-nation Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh last month and Malaysia finished third behing champions South Korea and runners-up India.

Kumar said he did not train for a month and only started his rehabilitation three weeks ago.

“I went for an MRI on Tuesday and the doctor will inform me tomorrow (today) if I have recovered to play in the World Series.

“I want to play in the World Series and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be cleared to play in the tournament, which is the qualifying tournament for next year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said Kumar.

“I have played in the World Cup twice but I have yet to play in the Olympics,” said Kumar, who has represented Malaysia since 1999.

Meanwhile, Tenaga Nasional have come in to sponsor RM500,000 for the World Series next week.

Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said that they need RM1 million to stage the World Series next week.

“We managed to get RM600,000 and we still need RM400,000 to organise the tournament. We have written to a few sponsors and we also hope to get the financial support from National Sports Council (NSC) and the Youth and Sports Ministry.

“My concern is to make sure our national team perform in the tournament to reach the final and win the tournament. Our players are in high spirits and they want to prove that they are among the best,” said Subahan.

Eight teams will feature in the tournament and Malaysia are drawn in Group B with Brazil, China and Italy while Group A comprises Canada, Belarus, Austria and Wales.

The World Series is the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Star of Malaysia



Drumming up fan support

By Jugjet Singh


Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) president, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal (centre) poses together with sponsor representatives after a press conference to introduce the sponsors for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Series Finals that will take place in Kuala Lumpur from April 26-May 4. (PIC BY BERNAMA)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal is someone who never stops planning.

Earlier today (Wednesday), after settling sponsorship deals for the Series Finals that will take place in Kuala Lumpur from April 26-May 4, Subahan revealed that he is also working to bring the final Olympic Qualifier to Malaysia.

And in related developments, there was welcome good news as MHC’s bid to host the 2022 men’s World Cup has also been shortlisted by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

“The total cost to organise the Series Finals is about RM1 million, and we already have RM600,000 and the remainder of the amount needed is also almost assured of,” said Subahan who spoke in Sri Kembangan earlier today (Wednesday).

And all MHC want is quite simple and clear-cut — for the players to deliver in the Olympic rounds, and the fans to show up in numbers.

“Tenaga Nasional, hockey’s trusted partner for decades, will sponsor the Series Finals to the Tune of RM500,000, which makes the largest publicly-listed power company and the only electric utility company in Peninsular Malaysia the official partner for the tournament.

“We also have 100Plus as well as Unitar, while the Sports Ministry, Tourism Ministry, National Sports Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (NSI) have all pledged to come in as well,” said Subahan.

Looking forward, Subahan added: “MHC have unofficially communicated to FIH that Malaysia are interested to host the two-leg final Olympic Qualifier in early November. This is to ensure that the players have the best fan support to back their Olympic quest.

“And we also need them (fan support) in a few days time to spur the players to give their best. With this in mind, Bukit Jalil will be turned into a carnival with many booths, food trucks and lucky draws, as well as a chance to win five scholarships worth RM100,000 from Unitar,” Subahan revealed.

Fans can visit the Unitar booth to showcase their hockey skills, and five lucky ones will then be selected to study at Unitar under scholarship.

For the pre-Olympic qualifier, Malaysia will open their account against South Americans Brazil on April 26 (Friday), followed by China on April 28 (Sunday) and Italy on April 29 (Monday).

Entrace is free for all matches and the King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah, has also accepted an invitation to watch.

New Straits Times



Pro League 101 for Indian hockey fans

Debayan Sen


Getty Images

With the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announcing India's inclusion into the Pro League from 2020, what does it mean for the fans, the players and Indian hockey at large?

Here's all that you can look forward to, starting January next year.

A series of quality games coming to a turf near you

The first benefit of being a part of the Pro League -- something former India coach Michael Nobbs says they "should never have not been in, to begin with" -- will be in getting to see at least four of the top nine teams in world hockey coming and playing a series of two games between January and June next year.

The competition that India joins comprises some of the best in the world -- Olympic champions Argentina, Australia, world champions Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain. It's also an Olympic year, and playing these teams in both home and away conditions should make for some cracking contests.

India has some outstanding facilities to host the matches, as New Delhi, Raipur and Bhubaneswar alone have hosted some of the top events in world hockey in the last decade or so. Spreading the games across the venues would also help fans get engaged in a more meaningful way in an Olympic year.

Speaking of which...

India's inclusion in the Pro League shouldn't impact their Olympic qualification chances as they had originally feared in 2017, when the Pro League was first announced.

The apprehension then was that Olympic qualification would depend on finishing just inside the top four of the Pro League. While that still holds, there are Olympic qualifiers that teams can still be eligible for, based on Series finals, world rankings and continental events.

In a nutshell, a country won't lose anything by participating in the Pro League. Finish near the top, and you will get first right of way on the route to the next big global event, but even if you don't, there will be adequate pathways to make it later on.

How about the players themselves?

The Pro League is good news for the players. Playing the top teams in the world in a six-month period, India are assured of 16 games where they can get into some kind of rhythm going into the Tokyo Olympics. There will also be semis and a final to play should they make the top four, but these matches would be better preparation for the pressure of a big tournament.

As of now, Hockey India (HI) organises tours and multi-nation tournaments where the Indian team plays and keeps itself in touch with the game. However, deprived of the best teams in the world, all of whom are part of the Pro League, they dominated the recent Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, only to fall to a moment of magic from Korean captain Lee Nam Yong in the shootout.

There won't be any immediate monetary benefit for the players, barring their daily allowances, but stretching the calendar by a minimum of 16 matches should help more youngsters get a chance to push for places in the first eleven.

What's in it for the federation?

FIH says that the global sponsorships go straight to the international federation, but the revenue from national partners goes to the respective national association. This could make HI exploit the commercial value of all of India's home games. Television broadcast rights go to FIH, but the local ticketing revenues also go to the national association.

In other words, HI can simply go to town with a two-match series against a Germany or an Australia.

Could it get any better?

Of course it can, but that is beyond HI's control at the moment.

The pullout in 2017 was primarily to protect the interests of the women's team, who were then ranked outside the top 10 in the world, but have improved both their performances as well as their ranking since, logging in at ninth now.

The women need more quality matches round the year to keep themselves sharp. They are terrific when playing lower-ranked teams, but need the exposure of playing top teams to cut it with the bigger nations in global events on a more regular basis. When the women get to be a part of the Pro League, India's journey in FIH's newest product would become most meaningful.

ESPN



Why India are back in Pro League next year, but the women have to wait

Debayan Sen


STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Tuesday that India will be a part of the Pro League from the 2020 season onwards.

However, only the men's team makes the roster for next year, effectively replacing Pakistan, who withdrew from the first edition in January 2019, and had a fine worth 150,000 euros (approx. 2.5 crore Pakistan rupees) imposed on them on Monday.

What is the Pro League, and why was it planned?

The Pro League is a home-and-away league played over six months that began this January. India, among the original nine teams in both the men's and women's section, withdrew soon after the announcement of the league, citing confusion about how Pro League participation could impact their chances of qualification for the 2020 Olympics, and how it could impact world rankings. Spain (men) and Belgium (women) had originally stepped in for India.

Replacing the erstwhile World League, the top-four finishers in Pro League 2019 will get a direct entry into the Olympic qualifiers. Similarly, top places in the league in following seasons will help teams get spots in the World Cup qualifications, and then again for the 2024 Olympics.

This is good for India, surely?

The big sufferers of the decision were the Indian women's team, who were robbed of a chance at an Olympic berth as well as playing quality opposition on a regular basis -- the lack of quality match practice could tell if they make it to Tokyo. In 2019, the only internationals that Rani Rampal and her team have played include matches against Ireland and Spain on a tour of Spain in January-February, and a bilateral five-match tour of lower-ranked Malaysia earlier this month.

ESPN understands with the women's competition already played among nine teams, FIH were not keen to accommodate the Indian women's team for the 2020 season. Hockey India (HI) though have expressed a willingness to enter their women's team as soon as a spot opens up, according to the global body.


The big sufferers of the decision were the Indian women's hockey team. MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images

The men's team, however, will benefit from a six-month engagement with the top teams of the world. In fact, this could serve as the best possible way for the Indian team to warm up for the Olympics in Tokyo in August, provided they book their place at the Games later this year through the Series finals in Bhubaneswar and the qualifiers that will follow.

But what made India's stance change now?

While the quality of competition has been high -- world champions Belgium lead Australia and Great Britain in the men's section, while Netherlands and Argentina are very close among the women -- commercial concerns plagued the league even before a game was played. The long travel between venues, teams expected to fund their travels themselves, and finding a suitable calendar to accommodate European club hockey were the main issues.

In December 2017, then FIH CEO Jason McCracken had suggested that India could find themselves included as early as the first season itself. India continue to be one of the big drivers of sponsorship and television revenue in the global game -- the Hero group being one of the biggest global sponsors -- and that made their entry into the Pro League inevitable. India also warmed up to the idea of playing the Pro League once it emerged that it would merely guarantee a place in the qualifiers, and not in the Olympics per se.

What is the other change proposed?

The key change in the format from 2020 will be to have the home-and-away format done away with for one year. For instance, if India are to play home-and-away against Germany, they will play Germany twice at home in the span of two days in 2020, and play the two return fixtures away in Germany in 2021. This call has been taken to reduce the travel for teams by half, thus saving on expenses and giving the teams greater rest between games.

ESPN



FIH impose 170,000 euros fine on Pakistan, cash-strapped PHF says 'can't pay penalty'

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has imposed a hefty fine on Pakistan Hockey Federation for not honouring the Pro League commitments.


Pakistan hockey team , AFP

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has imposed a hefty fine of 170,000 euros on Pakistan Hockey Federation for not honouring the Pro League commitments but the cash-strapped PHF said it is in no position to pay the penalty.

The PHF confirmed that the FIH this week imposed a fine of 170,000 euros on Pakistan at the last executive board meeting of the world body for not sending the national team for the Pro League matches in Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

PHF secretary general Shahbaz Ahmed said Wednesday that he has requested the FIH to reduce the fine and allow it to be paid in instalments.

"I told the FIH members that when didn't have funds to send the team for the Pro League, how could we pay such a huge fine? I tried to convince the FIH members that they need to understand the crisis Pakistan hockey is going through and they should be at least giving us support instead of imposing any fines," Shahbaz said.

"For the moment, I am relieved FIH didn't ban us but I will continue to lobby to at least allow us to pay the fines over instalments," said Shahbaz, a former Olympian and captain.

The FIH, however, has given the PHF time until June 20 to pay the fine or else the penalty would be doubled.

The PHF has been under fire since the World Cup in India last December where the team finished at 11th position with the government also refusing to release any more funds for the game.

Just recently, the PHF was forced to postpone its National Hockey Championship in Karachi which was due to begin from April 20 for the same reason.

Shahbaz is a member of the FIH Executive Board which is headed by India's Narinder Batra.

He had resigned after the World Cup debacle but when his resignation was not accepted by PHF President, Brigadier (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokar he returned to his post.

Daily News & Analysis



Uzbekistan hockey team to arrive Pakistan on 27th: Shahbaz Sr

Mohsin Ali

ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Olympian Shahbaz Senior has confirmed that Uzbekistan national hockey team will tour Pakistan from April 27 to May 10 and play matches against Pakistan development squad at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.

In an interview with The Nation, Shahbaz said: “Earlier, Uzbekistan team was supposed to arrive on April 20, but due to certain reasons, the dates were changed. We will pick Pakistan development squad from five teams, which are playing matches in Gojra from Wednesday.

“We are working on grassroots level and the basic aim of holding five-team tournament in Gojra is to find fresh talent and provide them with opportunities to play against international teams. It will also provide international matches exposure to the youngsters and help them prepare well for pressure matches,” he added.

The PHF secretary said nothing can be done without money so critics must understand that the federation is working on war-footings to produce results and also ensure players get maximum opportunities to exhibit their prowess and get employment for their better future.

“I have a simple question for critics that whether it is essential to hold an office in the federation to serve Pakistan hockey. If they are really sincere to the national game, they can come up with plans and share with the federation and I can assure them that we will not only give them full credit, but also implement their positive suggestions/recommendations in true letter and spirit.

“The matter of the fact is that neither they have any plan nor they are serious about Pakistan hockey. They are just working on point-scoring and trying to inflict huge damages on Pakistan hockey. These dirty tactics will serve no purpose to hockey, but Pakistan hockey and players will surely suffer because of this,” he added.

Shahbaz said: “As far as FIH disciplinary committee’s decision of imposing out-of-the-moon Euros 170,000 fine on PHF is concerned, I want to clarify that the disciplinary committee has just sent their recommendations to the FIH, which are duly forwarded to the PHF by the international body. It will be discussed in the next FIH Executive Board meeting where each and every member will throw light on the disciplinary committee’s findings and we will also get chance to present our side of story.

“If we have Rs 20 million with us, then why we couldn’t participate in the Pro Hockey League in Argentina. We are pleading with the FIH that the federation is cash-starved and we are unable to pay such a hefty amount suggested by the disciplinary committee. Until the FIH executive committee meeting is held, Pakistan hockey team can play international matches and in case the fine proposed by the disciplinary committee stands, we will avoid ban and punishments after paying first installment,” he added.

“The tireless efforts of PHF President Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khohkar for Pakistan hockey can’t denied. I request Prime Minister Imran Khan to spare some time and invite the federation for a much-anticipated meeting. I can assure that the things will be crystal clear after the meeting and discussing our plans with the PM,” Shahbaz concluded.

The Nation



A New Era Begins - Hockey One Is Here!

Ben Somerford



Hockey Australia yesterday unveiled the beginning of an exciting new era for the code in Australia with the launch of a new elite domestic league - Hockey One.

Hockey One represents a major shift for Hockey in Australia as a re-imagined sport and entertainment product that puts fans first, with a new concept, new format, new club identities, new rule innovations and new access for fans with three home matchdays for every club.

In more exciting news for fans, Kayo Sports, Australia’s multi-sport streaming service will show games live with the finals also to be televised live on FOX SPORTS.

The first edition of Hockey One later this year will feature seven new clubs based in Australia’s major cities playing home-and-away matches from late September before a finals series in mid-November, with concurrent men’s and women’s competitions played in a unique double-header format.

The new clubs are Adelaide Fire, Brisbane Blaze, Canberra Chill, HC Melbourne, NSW Pride, Perth Thundersticks and Tassie Tigers.



As the new name implies, Hockey One unifies and celebrates male and female Hockey as a truly gender equal sport, with all clubs bringing together their teams under the one umbrella of one team name and always playing double-headers, enhancing the fan matchday experience.

Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier said: “This is a significant and exciting announcement for Hockey in Australia as we strive to put fans first and showcase everything that is great about our game with this ambitious new league, Hockey One.

“The feedback we received from numerous surveys and research conducted in recent years with Australian Hockey fans, players and officials has shown there is an appetite for a new approach to our domestic Hockey league, much like other sports have adopted like cricket’s Big Bash League.

“We’ve worked with our Member Associations on their club identities which are fantastic and full of life and colour. They are sure to engage existing Hockey fans and the next generation.

“Hockey as a game is a fantastic entertainment product and we want to showcase that to the wider Australian public through Hockey One. Our slogan is it’s ‘Real Hockey. Reimagined’.”

Hockey Fans will also have access to watch elite Australian domestic Hockey like never before, thanks to Hockey Australia’s partnership with Kayo Sports and FOX SPORTS.

“We’re thrilled to announce that Kayo Sports will live stream home-and-away matches and that the finals will be televised live on FOX SPORTS,” Favier said.

“This is a major step forward in terms of visibility and exposure for Hockey in Australia and we’re delighted to be able to bring this unprecedented access to our real Hockey fans.”

Head of FOX SPORTS Peter Campbell said: “We’re excited to partner with Hockey Australia and its Members in this new era for the sport with Kayo Sports to stream Hockey One men’s and women’s matches live and on demand, while FOX SPORTS will also televise the finals live.

“We’ve seen a real appetite for top level hockey through our coverage of the Pro League on our FOX SPORTS and Kayo platforms this year. We are confident that Hockey One will provide compelling viewing for fans, with existing and future Kookaburras and Hockeyroos stars on show for our customers.”

The schedule for the inaugural Hockey One season will be confirmed in due course along with information on rules, coach appointments and player signings.

Head to www.hockeyone.com.au for further information and to sign up for regular updates and announcements. You can also follow Hockey One and all of the clubs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.



BACKGROUND

NEW CONCEPT

    Hockey One is the new league name, representing elite and unified (with males and females under the same umbrella) with a new logo, replacing the Australian Hockey League (AHL) as the elite domestic competition and pathway for Hockeyroos, Kookaburras and the next generation of Australian talent.

NEW FORMAT

    Hockey One moves from the AHL’s carnival style tournament to an eight-week home-and-away league running from late September to mid-November. The male and female leagues will run concurrently. There will six home-and-away rounds, with each club playing three home matches, before semi-finals and Grand Finals in mid-November. Every matchday will always include male and female double-headers.

NEW CLUB IDENTITIES

    There will be seven new clubs with new names, colours, logos and identities in Australia’s seven major cities, with male and female teams unified under one name. The clubs are Adelaide Fire, Brisbane Blaze, Canberra Chill, HC Melbourne, NSW Pride, Perth Thundersticks and Tassie Tigers.

NEW ACCESS FOR FANS

    Fans will have unprecedented access to watch Australia’s elite domestic Hockey, with Hockey One home-and-away matches to be live streamed on Kayo Sports and all finals on Fox Sports. Every club will host three home-and-away matchdays in their market offering fans in every major city unprecedented access to their heroes.

NEW RULES

    Several rule innovations were trialled during last year’s AHL including ‘Pump Plays’, field goal conversions and ‘shoot-outs’ in the event of a drawn game. Feedback from players, coaches and fans is being assessed for inclusion in the rules and regulations for Hockey One to help create celebratory moments and excitement for fans without altering the integrity of the real Hockey contest. Further announcements will be made closer to the inaugural season.

Hockey Australia media release



Queensland Secures Rare Double At U18’s Australian Championships

Ben Somerford



Queensland have claimed a rare double at the Under-18’s Australian Championships in Hobart after winning both the men’s and women’s gold medal matches on Wednesday.

Queensland prevailed 3-2 over New South Wales in Wednesday’s women’s final at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre, before their male counterparts crushed Western Australia 7-1 in the men’s decider.

NSW claimed bronze in the men’s division with a 2-1 win over Victoria, with the NSW State also finishing third in the women’s division after a 5-0 triumph over Victoria on Wednesday.

In the women’s gold medal match, Queensland produced an inspired fightback to claim victory 3-2 over NSW.

After a goalless first half, NSW had fired in two goals to lead 2-0 in the final quarter thanks to Macy Carrothers (46’) and Annabel Croker (50’) to have one hand on the trophy.

But Queensland showed determination to comeback, with Tatum Stewart pulling a goal back in the 54th minute, before Claire Colwill equalised from a 58th minute penalty corner.

Dramatically in the final minute of play, Ruby Harris scored a decisive field goal to clinch a remarkable triumph.

Queensland’s men’s triumph was far less dramatic, easing to a comfortable 7-1 win over WA.

Captain Liam Hart scored a hat-trick as Queensland raced to a three-goal half-time lead after strikes from Cooper Johnson (10’), Hart (20’) and Zac Profke (30’)

WA sparked life into the contest when captain Lewis Barritt netted in the 40th minute, but Hart restored the three-goal buffer a minute later.

Queensland produced a two-minute barrage of three goals to seal the win, courtesy of Hart (51’) and Noah Gauci (51’) and (52’).

The good news kept coming for Queensland, with Gauci crowned the ASICS Leading Goal Scorer with 15 goals, while Hart was named the Just Hockey Player of the Tournament.

In the women’s Victoria’s Ciara Utri won the Just Hockey Player of the Tournament, with WA’s Neasa Flynn, Beartiz Monger-Molowny and NSW’s Helena Tobbe finishing joint top scorers with six goals to claim the ASICS Leading Goal Scorer gongs.

Queensland and NSW Blue were joint winners of the women’s Play The Whistle award, with ACT claiming the Play The Whistle award in the men’s.

All the results and match information is available on Hockey Australia’s Twitter page along with www.hockeyaustralia.altiusrt.com. 

Hockey Australia once again thanks Events Tasmania and Hockey Tasmania for their support in making this event possible.

Awards
ASICS Leading Goal Scorer
Women: Neasa Flynn (WA), Beatriz Monger-Molowny (WA), Helena Tobbe (NSW)
Men: Noah Gauci (QLD)
Just Hockey Player of Tournament
Women: Ciara Utri (VIC)
Men: Liam Hart (QLD)
Women Gold, Silver, Bronze
Queensland, NSW Blue, NSW State
Men Gold, Silver, Bronze
Queensland, Western Australia, NSW State
Play The Whistle
Women – Queensland, NSW Blue
Men – ACT
Bronze Medal Women’s Umpires
Georgie Higgins, Helen Kura, Reserve: Amy Spandler
Gold Medal Women’s Umpires
Claudia Hartas, Peta Wallison, Reserve: Tilka Hassing
Bronze Medal Men’s Umpires
Jordan Moore, Charlie Ibell, Reserve: Oliver Chauhan
Gold Medal Men’s Umpires
Baily Davis, Tom Carter, Reserve: Tim McKenzie

Hockey Australia media release



Walking hockey strolls into Fremantle, Australia

by Jessica Nico

IT might be played at a slightly slower pace, but walking hockey does not lose any of the regular game’s fun.

The walking version of field hockey has boomed in England over the last few years, and now Fremantle Hockey Club is bringing the sport to Stevens Reserve.

Fremantle Hockey Club men’s vice president Matt Allan said other than the pace of the game, there were some subtle differences between walking and regular field hockey.

“The game is played on a pitch around an eighth of the size of a standard hockey playing field, with no goalkeepers, smaller goals and a few rule modifications,” he said.

“The reduced pitch means fewer players per team, so there’s lots of opportunity to get involved in the game, and whilst we use a regular hockey stick, the balls we play with are a ‘softer’ material than traditional hockey balls.

“Literally anyone can play-research from the UK has seen a wide group of participants that included players in their 30s that had to give up the game due to injury, weight loss groups, people in their 70’s that had never played hockey and everything in between.

“Hockey is truly a sport that can be played from four to 84 years old and we want our club to offer versions of the game for every age and ability.”

The Walking Hockey program will start May 3 at Stevens Reserve, Fremantle from 10am to 2pm.

Registration inquiries or requests for more information can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Freemantle Gazette



Lisnagarvey clinch Irish Men's League with 6-1 win over Annadale


Andy Williamson started Lisnagarvey run of goals in their title-clinching victory

Lisnagarvey have clinched the Irish Men's Hockey League after a 6-1 win over Ulster neighbours Annadale.

Garvey needed a win from their final two games to stay ahead of Three Rock Rovers and they produced a clinical performance on Wednesday night.

Goals from Andy Williamson and Johnny Lynch made it 2-0 before Kent Irwin replied for the visitors.

However goals from the Nelson brothers Matthew and Daniel were followed by James Lorimer and Lynch strikes.

After a scoreless first quarter it took just over a minute after the restart for Johnny Bell's ball into the circle to elude the Annadale defence allowing Williamson the luxury of a tap-in at the back post.

Lynch's fine finish on the reverse stick made it 2-0 before Irwin's Annadale goal.

On the stroke of half-time, Lorimer's shot from a penalty corner was saved but Irish international Matthew Nelson was on hand to bury the rebound.

His brother Daniel added the fourth goal in the third quarter with Lorimer grabbing the fifth and more excellent build-up play saw Lynch score his second late in the game as Garvey romped to the championship in fine style.

It's the second time the County Down side have won the trophy following on from their success three years ago.

There is one round of fixtures remaining but the top four clubs that will contest the Champions Trophy play-offs at the beginning of next month are Lisnagarvey, Banbridge, Three Rock Rovers and Glenanne.

BBC Sport



Newbies Lakers Hockey Club savouring perfect start to life in premier league

By Washington Onyango


Lakers Hockey Club Assistant Captain Ashley Akinyi (left) tussles for the ball against Sliders' Esther Champchui during their Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Women Premier League match played at Sikh Union Club in Kisumu on April 6, 2019. [Photo: Courtesy]

Newbies Lakers hockey club are the current log leaders of the 2019 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Women Premier League.

The Kisumu based ladies 1-0 win over Kenyatta University saw them leapfrog Telkom and go top of the table with five points after three matches, winning one and drawing two.

Strathmore University Women are second with four points the same as defending champions Telkom and Amira Sailors but with a greater goal difference with all having a game in hand.

Lakers drew 1-1 with hosts Strathmore University before dislodging Kenyatta University 1-0 courtesy of left-back Judith Abayo’s penalty flicks in both matches and team coach Brian Aduda now believes they can consolidate their position.

Speaking to the Standard Sports, Aduda said they can strengthen their position by winning their three consecutive home matches against United States International University-Africa (USIU-A Women), Sailors and Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT).

“We have started the season well despite the two draws against Sliders and Strathmore but am happy with the girl’s performance and response in the two matches. All we have to do now is to win all our home matches next month to stay top,” Aduda said.

However, defending champions Telkom have the opportunity to reclaim their top spot and go two points clear of Lakers when they play their game in hand against Strathmore this weekend.

Aduda also praised goal hero Abayo and 16-year-old stopper Millicent Adhiambo for an excellent display in Nairobi adding teamwork helped them survive in their away matches.

“Adhiambo has a bright future considering she is just 16. Her performance in Nairobi was key to our excellence and with Abayo providing perfect flicks with the teamwork around the threat posed by our opponents,” he added.

Adhiambo, still a form two student of Nyanza hockey giants Sinyolo Girls managed a clean sheet and made several breathtaking saves is one of the new youth signings made by the club this year.

Lakers host USIU-A Women on May 18 and assistant captain Ashley Akinyi believes they have ample time to prepare for the university girls.

“We have a month to train and work on our mistakes and tactical approach to the tie and I believe that is enough for the team to be ready for the fixture,” she said.

The Standard Digital



With “Sticks for the World”, FIH calls on the global hockey community to donate equipment



Lausanne, Switzerland: As part of its new development strategy approved at the FIH Congress in November 2018, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has now launched the “Sticks for the World” campaign.

The objective of this campaign is to collect and distribute hockey equipment to projects and organisations. It will operate in the following way:

- Kit donation schemes run by the hockey family (FIH, The Hockey Foundation, Continental Federations, National Associations, clubs, …); this will happen at hockey events, mostly
- Hockey Star stick donations – made by players attending 2019-2020 FIH events, including the upcoming FIH Series Finals in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage (France) and Hiroshima (Japan) as well as the FIH  Women’s Pro League game between USA and Germany on 22 June
- New and old stock kit supplied by hockey retailers and makers

FIH has urged its 137 member National Associations around the world to put in place schemes to collect this donated equipment and to encourage their members – leagues, clubs – to do the same.

The objective is to reach 101,000 donated sticks until 2020. Why this figure? Two hands per stick - 202,000 hockey hands by 2020.

The current Men’s World Champions, Belgium, recently showed the way: on the occasion of a Fan Day event on 7 April ahead of the FIH Women’s Pro League game between Belgium and China, a number of them, as well as Belgian fans, donated sticks.

One of the projects which will benefit from “Sticks for the World” is “La Route du Stick”, an initiative led by Swiss coach Gabriel Tuscher, who will carry sticks to Africa with a minibus.

“Sticks for the World” is the first phase of the “HockeyREADY” development project, which is a global initiative to support Continental Federations, National Associations and Recognised Development Organisations to be ready to deliver hockey around the world, therefore helping grow the game.

FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra said: “HockeyREADY aims to engage with the entire hockey family and encourage them to share and grow their hockey development projects. Phase 1 of the project will specifically focus on sourcing new and second-hand hockey equipment. Any project, led by any organisation or individual, can be part of HockeyREADY. I’m fundamentally convinced that hockey has the power to help make the world a better place. A great starting point will be to engage with Sticks for the World!”

To get involved in “Sticks for the World” and donate hockey equipment, please click here!

To learn more about “HockeyREADY”, please watch this video.

#SticksForTheWorld
#HockeyREADY

FIH site

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