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All the news for Friday 18 august 2017

Europe’s finest ready to battle for continental title and World Cup qualification

Dutch gunning for glory on home soil at Rabo EuroHockey Championships 2017


Netherlands play host to Europe's best hockey teams over the next 10 days Photo: FIH/Getty Images

This Friday (18 August), Amsterdam’s world famous Wagener Stadium prepares to host yet another major international hockey competition as Europe’s finest men’s and women’s nations take part in the Rabo EuroHockey Championships 2017.

16 national teams, eight per gender, representing 10 nations will be competing in the Dutch capital between 18 and 27 August.

A lot is on the line for those participating. In addition to being crowned European champions, the winners of both the men's and women's events will also qualify for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 and the Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018.

Under FIH regulations, the team that wins its continental qualifier automatically qualifies for the World Cup. However, if that team has already qualified by finishing in the top five of the Hockey World League Semi-Finals earlier this year – as for example Netherlands women did by winning the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final in Brussels, Belgium – then the place is offered to the next highest placed finisher from the Semi-Finals.

The iconic venue, which was built in 1938 and is named after former Hockey Club Amsterdam Chairman Joop Wagener, has so often been the stage for some of the world’s greatest hockey events, having twice previously hosted the European championships as well as seven Hockey Champions Trophy competitions and the men’s Hockey World Cup in 1973. Although the pitch has been resurfaced on numerous occasions, the famous wooden grandstand changed little since its construction in 1939. 

That will all change this weekend when the cream of European hockey compete in a stadium that has undergone a major facelift featuring a brand new, state-of-the-art grandstand, something which will be enjoyed by the thousands of spectators who will flood to Amstelveen district over the coming ten days.

Although the stadium may have changed in appearance, the men’s and women’s teams of the Netherlands will be keen to provide a reminder that it is still the same place where they have enjoyed phenomenal success down the years.

The Dutch men enter the competition as the reigning champions following their sensational 6-1 triumph over Germany in the final of the 2015 edition in London. Their recent form at the Hero Hockey World League Semi-Final, also played in London, where they destroyed Olympic champions Argentina 6-1 in the event final, suggests that they are very much the team to beat.

“The DNA of Dutch players is to be creative and to play attacking hockey” said Dutch attacking star Billy Bakker in a recent interview ahead of the competition. “With the current combination and the creative faculty, we should be really nice to watch. Our team is always developing and we have a new, young generation coming up. We need to make sure they feel very comfortable because we really need them.”

The Dutch men play in Pool A, where they will certainly not have an easy time of it against the likes of Belgium, Spain and Austria in the race for a top two finish and the semi-final berth that comes with it. Belgium’s Red Lions were in sensational form at the Hockey World League Semi-Final in Johannesburg, winning the event final by thrashing Germany 6-1.

Spain were also excellent in that competition, with young attacker Enrique Gonzalez being a stand-out player as the Red Sticks claimed fourth place to secure their safe passage through to next year’s Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.

In men’s Pool B, England, Germany, Ireland and Poland will be fighting it out for those semi-final places. England have fond memories of the Wagener Stadium, having been crowned European champions in the venue at the 2009 edition. England’s captain at the time was Barry Middleton, who at the age of 33 remains a hugely influential figure in both midfield and attack for his country.

Germany’s chances of European glory have been boosted by the return of two key players to the fold, with defender Martin Häner and legendary midfielder Tobias Hauke both being selected by Head Coach Stefan Kermas. With 13 medals from 15 European championships, Die Honamas will be looking to extend their impressive record in Amstelveen.

Like England and Germany, Ireland’s Green Machine have already assured themselves of a safe passage through to next year’s World Cup thanks to strong performances in the Hockey World League Semi-Final, and following their bronze medal at the 2015 edition, the team so often inspired by the brilliance of goalkeeper David Harte will fancy their chances of getting on the podium once again.

In the women’s competition, the Netherlands are the team to beat in Pool A, which also features Spain, Belgium and Czech Republic. Like their male counterparts, the team coached by Alyson Annan have been in imperious form this summer, storming to victory at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final in Brussels, winning all seven of their matches. The team has numerous star players, although Kelly Jonker, and Lidewij Welten – the 2015 Hockey Stars Women’s Player of the Year, are certainly stand-out attacking talents and return to action after spells on the sidelines.

“Lidewij is one of the best in the world”, said Netherlands star Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel. “She brings a lot of power into our attacking game. Kelly is one of a kind. Her skills in the D are exceptional, she can pop up just in the right spot and score a goal. So having these two players back is great and I can't wait to play with them in a full packed orange stadium at the Euros.”

The reigning European champions, England, will be seen by many as the favourites to finish top of women’s Pool B, although they can expect stern challenges from Germany, Ireland and Scotland. The England squad contains numerous players who were part of Great Britain’s sensational Olympic gold medal success at Rio 2016, including ace goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, key defender Hollie Webb and star striker Alex Danson, who captains the side.

England finished third at the recent Hockey World League Semi-Final event in Johannesburg, one place behind Germany who impressed greatly at that event. The team coached by Jami Mülders and captained by Janne Müller-Wieland will be serious contenders in Amsterdam, where 22-year-old Charlotte Stapenhorst will look to enhance her reputation as one of the most exciting young talents in the game.

To find out more about the competition, please visit the official event website by clicking here.

The European Hockey Federation recently announced that all matches from the Rabo EuroHockey Championships 2017 will be live streamed on eurohockeytv.org/ (EHTV), an exciting new streaming platform created in partnership with Sportradar. Some games at the Rabo EuroHockey Championships will be GEO blocked due to broadcast arrangements in those territories. For full details regarding the broadcast of the event, click here.

#EHC2017

FIH site

Luypaert and Belgium aiming to make next giant leap at Euros


©: Frank Uijlenbroek

“It’s really simple,” Belgian sweeper Loick Luypaert says of this week’s EuroHockey Championships. “We have three major competitions in hockey – the European Cup, the World Cup and the Olympics. Playing in the European Cup is something special!”

The Red Lions come into the tournament in great form, winning their Hockey World League Semi-Final in Johannesburg in July, scoring 37 goals in seven games, ending with a memorable 6-1 win over Germany in the final.

They did so with several new faces involved with Nicolas de Kerpel, Agustin Meurmans, Victor Wegnez and the hugely impressive Arthur de Sloover making their senior tournament debuts, joining a side with almost a dozen Rio silver medalists.

“We are really happy with how it went,” Luypaert says of the new additions to the tournament website. “We were guessing how the young guys would do but they played really well.

“Every new player brings his own DNA to the group and the young guys had a lot of fun. You could see on the pitch they felt quite at home.

“De Sloover played a really good tournament at the back, was really secure and strong on the ball so he has a bright future. They all worked hard, deserved their selection and belong in this group.”

He did temper some of the excitement of beating Germany so comprehensively that the likes of Tobias Hauke, Martin Häner and Florian Fuchs were all absent but did say that it was something to savour.

“Surprise is a big word but it's always a bit of a guess before a tournament [how it will go]. We always go for the highest and after the Olympics, we said we want to be more dominant.

“We trained hard for the last year since Rio with a new group to make a new platform to excel. The score in the final was maybe a little over the top but when you beat Germany 6-1, you need to celebrate it! But we think it will be a different story in the Europeans!”

It will be a third Euros for the Braxgata man. His first was an emotional one, delighting the home crowd in 2013 with a silver medal. It was their best ever finish in the competition to date with the atmosphere raised each time the Red Lions sang their national anthem a capella.

“In Boom, in front of our own crowd, it was amazing in a big stadium at the highest level. The anthem was something we decided as a group. We wanted to do something special; we are really proud of our country, just a small country.

“When we pull on the jersey of the Red Lions, we want to show everyone we are proud to be Belgian. It was the start of something special and something we also did in Rio due to a technical problem in the semi-final against the Netherlands.”

The next Euro experience was not quite so memorable in 2015 in London. It came off the back of a successful World League tournament in Brasschaat but things did not go to plan and they missed out on the semi-finals to Ireland.

“We were over-trained, maybe going over the top after a really long World League. We didn’t have enough rest between the tournaments and thought we would just get there [to the semis].

“We met Ireland who were on a roll and we were out of the tournament. It was a big lesson for the long term but it was not easy. We weren’t in a good vibe; that’s what happens in team sports. When things are not going your way, you get punished.”

The big outcome, in the wake of the tournament, saw Shane MacLeod come in as head coach in place of Jeroen Delmee and the New Zealander was quickly able to find the right mojo.

“He was only 10 months coach before Rio so he had a really short window to change things. He works in a really personal way and wants everyone to express themselves with how they feel and how they want to be on the pitch. He leaves a lot of freedom to the players and made a real group of us.

“He put us in front of a mirror to see what we could do better as a group and individually. In those 10 months, he probably worked the hardest of the whole group to build the machine we were in Rio. He brought us a lot of joy, for example, which was missing in the Euros in 2015.”

Their meeting with the Netherlands in the group stages in the Wagener Stadium already looks a highlight of the early phase of the competition, a meeting between the two winners of the World League Semi-Finals this summer.

“Last time we played them was the semi-final in Rio so I am sure they will have that revenge feeling! They have also changed a lot of their group and their systems, totally different from Rio.

“These are always high stake games when you meet the other top five sides in the world; you want to show what you can do, to test yourself!”

There is a sense, though, that it is the Red Lions time to land a major gold medal. Their rise has been steady and growing since their breakthrough bronze medal in at the Euros a decade ago.

“That’s definitely the next step; we see where we have come from in 2007 in Manchester for Beijing. The next thing is to win a major tournament – this European Cup, the World Cup or the next European Cup in Belgium [in 2019].

“We always aim now to the highest level every time we compete but we are not the only guys who want to win this competition! We won’t pressure ourselves; we will see if we are good enough to win a tournament soon.”

Euro Hockey League media release

Wagener Stadium grows up around Bakker’s eyes


©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics

For the last 12 months, the heightening sense of excitement for the European Cup has been building in front of Billy Bakker’s eyes at the Wagener Stadium.

The long-time AH&BC Amsterdam player has seen almost every piece of the regeneration of the famous venue build up around him, week by week.

“In the last year, we have seen each part of the renovation going on around us at the stadium with the club,” Bakker said ahead of the EuroHockey Championships which get under way this weekend.

“Everybody knew that when it was finished, it will finally be time for the first match of the European Cup. It’s a long journey but knowing the first match will be in your home town and a really big crowd.

“I am getting some similar feelings from the World Cup [in 2014 in the Hague] when we played in front of our home crowd when it was really busy. A home crowd always helps us a team!”

For Bakker and the Dutch, the local Amsterdam connection and know-how extends to his almost telepathic link-up with Mirco Pruyser and Valentin Verga, the attacking triangle for both club and country.

“Playing and practicing together a lot, you start to know exactly what the other guy wants to do, where they want to lead and where to get the ball from you. That gives confidence to the team and hopefully, we will see even more of that.”

The Oranje look to be in good shape following their gold medal at the World League Semi-Final in London in June, taking top spot with a breathtaking 6-1 win over Argentina. It continues the Netherlands love-affair with the English capital.

“Always when we play in London, we always have a good feeling!” Bakker adds. “It started in 2012 when we got the silver medal. Then, in 2015 we won the European Cup [6-1 in the final against Germany] and then this summer, we won the World League Semi-Final.

“Hopefully it gives us confidence for the upcoming games but we have a different team and different expectations [from 2015].”

The 28-year-old Bakker captained the team in London and drew praise for the way he led the team. He is part of a three-person captaincy group with Mink van der Weerden and Seve van Ass. Van Ass will wear the armband in Amsterdam for this tournament

They followed the World League success with a mammoth 9-1 win over England in a IV Nations tournament in Terrassa and also beat Germany 7-1. But those big scores have been tempered but losses to India and a 2-2 draw with Spain – their first Euro opponent on Saturday evening at 8pm.

“There’s a lot of young talent there and are ambitious,” Bakker says of the Spanish challenge. “They can play with freedom and not overly structured which can be dangerous for us but the experience we have in this team, I think we are the better side.

“We need to not get into the emotional side which is when they do well. It will be difficult and you need to win that first game but we are really looking forward to it.

“The DNA of Dutch players is to be creative and to play attacking hockey. With the current combination and the creative faculty, we should be really nice to watch.”

Bakker is playing in his fourth European continental championship but is joined by plenty of fresh faces. Floris Wortelboer (21) and Jonas de Geus (19) are the latest, coming in for their first major tournaments

“Our team is always developing and we have a new, young generation coming up. We need to make sure they feel very comfortable because we really need them.

“The Hoofdklasse is always one of the best competitions in the world and so you compete the whole year rather than one or two times a year. All the players get to develop, in my opinion, harder than other leagues because of the high level.

“The young guys don’t need to get nervous and that’s one of the things that makes our team very positive and dynamic, playing with confidence.”

Their next tie pairs them with Belgium on Monday evening in one of the highlights of the group stages, meeting the other World League Semi-Final winner before they go on to face outsiders Austria on Wednesday next week.

Euro Hockey League media release

Harte looking to end busy summer on a Euro high


David Harte celebrating during Ireland’s shoot-out win over France. Pic: Getty Images

Goalkeeper David Harte is looking forward to “an away tournament at home” for the Dutch-based player as the European Championships get underway for Ireland this weekend in the Netherlands.

It continues his incredibly busy summer. He helped the Green Machine to their first World Cup qualification since 1990 with success in Johannesburg. He was back in his home village of Kinsale a couple of days later where he was preparing for his twin brother Conor’s wedding.

David was on best man duties, preparing speeches and “hammering signposts around Kinsale from the church to the afters venue!”

In between, he was driving up and down from the south coast to Dublin to take part in the Irish Athletes Commission, a group formed this year to represent sportsmen and women, lobbying government for improved conditions for the Irish team.

In that space, the two-time FIH Goalkeeper of the Year is the most recognisable face of the Green Machine and has become a figurehead for minority sports in Ireland.

“The most important thing for me is I am the only team sport represented on the Athletes Commission,” he told the Euros tournament website of the situation. “There’s a different dynamic that the group will bring to it with regard to funding tournaments. Outside soccer, Gaelic games and rugby, team sports aren’t really looked after very well looked after.

“The minister [for state for sports and tourism, Brendan Griffin] was one of the first to admit that. We are moving in the right direction. As a player, our athletes’ welfare is something we have to look at and hopefully, we can have a positive influence on that.”

One of the minister’s initial suggestions was to offer tax breaks to GAA players, something that Harte believes should be extended to international hockey players in the work force if introduced.

“I was fighting the corner for that one. We know that rugby also has that in place. League of Ireland players, if they have a contract for 10 years consecutively, they are also entitled to tax relief or benefits. We are trying to find more equality across different sports and individual sports.”

With those responsibilities taken care of, he is looking forward to the Europeans with an evolving set of team mates. In 2017 to date, 12 players have made their tournament debuts for Ireland and there could be a few more when the final squad is named due to a broken ankle bone for Eugene Magee and a broken collar bone for Jonny McKee.

“We still have guys battling hard with their employers for availability for some extra leave from an already busy 2017.”

At the Wagener Stadium, they will meet Germany in their first game before facing a Poland side they beat 5-1 in March in Belfast in World League Round 2. They close out their group with a battle to relish against England, a side they historically raise their game for.

Ireland have a good recent record against the English – and Great Britain – with a three-game unbeaten run in tournament-play, culminating in 2015’s memorable 4-2 win in the Euro bronze medal match in London after 2-2 draws in Boom in 2013 and at the 2016 Olympic qualifier in Brasschaat.

“Try find a sportsperson – outside of hockey as well – in Ireland that faces England in any game that doesn’t get excited!

“Over the last three, four, maybe five years, we have enjoyed facing the lads across the water. It’s a fair reflection that we have tried to emulate some of the things they have been doing in the past. In 2009, they won it the last time it was in Amsterdam and we want to try and match that!”

They arrive in Amsterdam in an upbeat frame of mind with World Cup qualification in the bag from the World League Semi-Finals in South Africa with their new generation bedding into elite hockey.

Ireland missed their first chance at qualification against Spain when they could only score one of 10 penalty corners but they bounced back with a gritty shoot-out win against France and then a first ever win over New Zealand to take the last automatic ticket to India 2018.

“We can take so many positives from Jo’burg with a huge learning curve from missing out on the direct qualification when we actually played our best hockey against Spain in the quarter-final, the best stats, and didn’t win.

“Then, the New Zealand game – and maybe the French game too – where we were, in certain areas, below par but came away with the win. It’s always a roller-coaster for the emotions in these tournaments.”

“Heading to the Euros, you can only take confidence from it, breaking that gap from 1990 to qualify for a World Cup. We will definitely be in good spirits and positive for the start of the Euros.”

Rabo EuroHockey Championships (August 18-27, Amsterdam)
Sunday, August 20: Ireland v Germany, 2.30pm
Monday, August 21: Ireland v Poland, 1.45pm
Wednesday, August 23: Ireland v England, 1.45pm
Friday, August 25 to Sunday, August 27 – classification matches

The Hook

Pakistanis have to watch Euro Hockey for Green Shirts entry in 2018 World Cup

By B.G.Joshi  (Sehore- Bhopal, India)

Since 16 teams will be in fray in 2018 World Cup, Pakistan should get berth in World Cup during Euro Hockey Championships scheduled to play in Amsterdam from Aug18-27, 2017.

Six teams from 8 participants of 2017 Euro Hockey (men) have already qualified for World Cup.  Thus it is likely that Pakistan will get confirmed World Cup tickets after completion of pool matches by Aug 23, 2017.

Here are the statistical highlights of Euro Hockey Championships (men and women):

A: Men

 B:  Women

 Most World Cup titles -4(1971, 78, 82 and 94) won by Pakistan. Green shirts did not qualify for last World Cup held in The Hague (2014).

FIeldhockey.com

South African Hockey Squads named for African Cup of Nations

Tyron Barnard

The South African national hockey sides head to the African Hockey Cup of Nations in two very different states. The SA Women’s side will go to Egypt as the favourites whose minds are already on their World Cup plans having secured qualification at the FIH World League Semi-Finals in Johannesburg.

The SA Hockey Men are in a new rebuilding phase after a disappointing finish at the FIH World League Semi-finals and a current vacancy in the team’s management staff.  A stand-in coach will be appointed for Egypt, where they will be tasked with qualifying for the 2018 FIH Hockey World Cup in India.

Regardless of the current position of both sides, the other carrot dangling at the African Cup of Nations is the rankings points, with both Men and Women looking to improve their current rankings of 15th and 13th respectively.

The SA Women’s side have announced their final squad of 18 ladies to do battle at the African Cup of Nations, sticking largely to the players that secured qualification to the World Cup.

There is an exciting recall to the squad for Olympian Dirkie Chamberlain who has just signed for Holcombe Hockey Club. Sylvia van Jaarsveldt, who was the joint top scorer at the Premier Hockey League, playing for the Madikwe Rangers, is also called up pointing towards Coach Sheldon Rostron’s desire to score more goals.  Izelle Verster and Erin Hunter both return to the national set up having missed out on the FIH World League Semi-Finals.

On the Men’s side, the selectors have called up a squad of 32 players that will be downsized to the required 18 when the coaching staff for the Cup of Nations is finalised. However SA Hockey were keen to announce the squad so that the players could plan accordingly.

Gowan Jones and Siya Nolutshunga join World League keepers Rassie Pieterse and Richard Curtis in the squad, while UJ captain Gareth Heyns and his team mate Tyson Dlungwana are also recalled. Indoor and Outdoor Hockey dual nationals Mo Mea and Robin Jones are called up after missing out on World League Selection to complete the defender line-up.

In the midfield, national skipper Tim Drummond is joined by World League team members in Ryan Julius, Owen Mvimbi, Jonty Robinson, Reza Rosenberg and Dan Sibbald. Those six are further complimented by Taine Paton, Clinton Panther and the exciting Rusten Abrahams.

In the striking department, where SA really struggled at the World League, the line-up has been boosted by the inclusions of Maties captain Keenan Horne, Brandon Panther, Ryan Crowe, Richard Pautz and Melrick Maddocks.

The SA Men will be up against bitter rivals Egypt who defeated them at the World League in Johannesburg in a shock result. The lads will be looking to bounce back and get one back over their Northern neighbours in their own back yards.

The African Hockey Cup of Nations takes place in Ismailia Egypt from 19-29 October 2017 and the winner of each tournament will qualify for the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2018.

SA Women’s Hockey Squad

No. Name

1. Phumi Mbande
2. Nicole La Fleur
3. Nicolene Terblanche
4. Celia Evans
5. Kara Botes
6. Jessica O’Connor
7. Erin Hunter
8. Quanita Bobbs
9. Stephanie Baxter
10. Shelley Jones
11. Ilse Davids
12. Izelle Verster
13. Lilian Du Plessis
14. Candice Manuel
15. Tarryn Glasby
16. Sulette Damons
17. Dirkie Chamberlain
18. Sylvia van Jaarsveldt

SA Men’s Hockey Squad

No. Name

1. Gowan Jones
2. Siya Nolutshungu
3. Richard Curtis
4. Erasmus Pieterse
5. Daniel Bell
6. Rhett Halkett
7. Austin Smith
8. Mohamed  Mea
9. Robin Jones
10. Jethro Eustice
11. Gareth Heyns
12. Mattew Guise-Brown
13. Tyson Dlungwana
14. Timothy Drummond
15. Owen Mvimbi
16. Ryan Julius
17. Jonathan Robinson
18. Reza Rosenberg
19. Clinton Panther
20. Taine Paton
21. Daniel Sibbald
22. Rusten Abrahams
23. Julian Hykes
24. Ignatius Malgraff
25. Tevin Kok
26. Dayaan Cassiem
27. Nqobile Ntuli
28. Keenan Horne
29. Brandon Panther
30. Ryan Crowe
31. Richard Pautz
32. Melrick Maddocks

SA Hockey Association media release

Sheldon Rostron to lead SA Hockey Men to African Cup of Nations


Sheldon Rostron

The current SA Women’s Hockey National Coach, Sheldon Rostron, has been appointed as the Interim Head Coach for the SA Men’s side. Rostron will be in charge of the SA Hockey Men for their World Cup qualifying bid at the African Hockey Cup of Nations in Egypt in October this year. The appointment will see a first for SA Hockey as the Men and Women will have a Joint Team Management Structure for the tournament.

The SA Hockey High-Performance Committee had set a range of criteria in place for the Interim position including International Head Coach experience, knowledge and experience of the SA coaching landscape, the ability to facilitate contact sessions in the build-up and previous experience as a Head Coach in qualifying for major Tournaments.  The Committee believed that Rostron would be the right man and the SAHA Board and Executive Committee have approved and accepted the recommendation.

Sheldon Rostron has been the Head Coach of the Women’s National team since Giles Bonnet resigned in 2014, after serving as an assistant before that, and has amassed over 90 caps as the Ladies Head coach. His international repertoire is as impressive and includes winning the African Cup of Nations in 2015,  the World League semi-final in Valencia, Spain in 2015 and of course the recently completed World League semi-final in Johannesburg where the SA Women qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup.

“This is a great opportunity for me to work with both teams and I am extremely excited to get started,” shared Rostron, “the task will be incredibly challenging but I have a great team around me and that will help immensely.”

Rostron, who is well qualified through the Coach Education structure, will lead both the SA Hockey Men and Women at the African Hockey Cup of Nations, something previously done incredibly well by Carlos Retegui when he led the Argentina Men and Women to Bronze medals at the 2014 Hockey World Cup.

The appointment of Rostron as the Interim Head Coach is only for the duration of the African Hockey Cup of Nations. The current process to find the new Head Coach is ongoing and it is anticipated that the new Coach will assume responsibilities in the period after the conclusion of the African Hockey Cup of Nations.

The African Hockey Cup of Nations takes place in Ismailia Egypt from 19-29 October 2017 and the winner of each tournament will qualify for the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2018.

SA Hockey Association media release

Lane, Mitai-Wells promoted to National Squad


Photo: www.photosport.nz

Strikers Sam Lane and Leo Mitai-Wells have been promoted into the Vantage Black Sticks Men’s National Squad.

The duo have been impressive this year during the Pakistan home series in Wellington and Wairarapa, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and the squad’s training camp on the Gold Coast.

Both were selected for the Hockey World League Semi Final squad and now complete the National Squad of 25 players.

CLICK HERE to view the Men’s National Squad

Hockey New Zealand Media release

NZL Under 18 talent identification groups selected


Photo: www.photosport.nz

Following the recent Vantage National Under 18 Tournament, several groups have been selected to attend specialist development camps.

Men’s and Women’s groups will head to a New Zealand Under 18 development camp in New Plymouth from 13-17 December.

Goalkeepers have a specialist camp in Hawke’s Bay from the 12-15 October, with four to be selected to go on to the December development camp. Drag Flickers will also take part in the specialist camp.

CLICK HERE to see the Men’s groups

CLICK HERE to see the Women’s groups

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Development Squad Tour of Japan

Holly MacNeil



Game 1: AUS 2 – 2 JPN
Game 2: AUS 3 - 3 JPN
Game 3: AUS 4 – 1 JPN

The Australian women’s development squad have been on tour in Hiroshima, taking on the Coca-Cola Red Sparks in a friendly three game test for the past week.

The first game was a 2 – all draw, with Australia scoring courtesy of Kalindi Commerford and Meg Pearce.

The field goals from Commerford and Pearce came in hot and humid conditions as Australia fought back from being 2 – nil down.

In their second game it was again a tied match, with the Australian Women’s Development Squad again fighting their way back to draw their second match 3 all against the Coca-Cola West Red Sparks.

This time, Australia’s three goals came courtesy of field goals from Laura Gray and Hayley Padget, while Sophie Taylor scored a penalty corner.

The final and deciding match saw Australia win the game and the series with a convincing 4 – 1 win.

Australia started with confidence, and applied significant pressure to the CCWRS defences with a string of attacks. Australia had an early opportunity to score after a good build up on the right side, with Stewart feeding a cross ball that slid across the goal face. However, it didn’t take long for Australia to post their first goal. In the ninth minute Brazel took advantage of a CCWRS foot at the top of the 25 line, taking the ball right through near to the goal face, enabling an easy tap in for Commerford.

The second term saw a more even contest with both sides creating opportunities. Australia increased its lead in the last 30 seconds of the quarter with a long corner fed into Commerford, who was left unmarked, and capitalised by slamming it into the backboard.

Australia conceded an early goal in the third quarter, and were quick to respond, after Stewart cut off a CCWRS pass in the midfield, taking the ball into the attacking circle and earning a penalty corner. In a set play, Squibb drove the ball hard at the left post where Stewart deflected the ball into the goal. Australia took a 3-1 lead into the fourth quarter.

Australia’s played with confidence in the fourth quarter and pressed home their advantage when they scored in the second minute.  Allendorf showing deft touch weaved through the CCWRS defences and popped the ball towards goal, with Stewart making a soft tap in to give Australia a 4-1 lead, and the win.

The development squad now play a four game friendly series against the Japan National side.

Hockey Australia media release

AHL - WA history

The last 3 years of WA's AHL

Holly MacNeil



The WA Thundersticks have quite a good record in their performances in the Australian Hockey League but a slight turn in bad luck when it came down to grand final finishing second in 2014 – 2016. In 2016, they were up against Victoria in the gold medal match where they went down by 2, 5 – 3. Chris Basour contributing with 6 goals making him the top goal scorer for the Thundersticks in the AHL tournament.

In 2015, they went down to Queensland in another gold medal match by one, 2 – 1. Tim Bates finished the 2015 tournament with 4 goals making him the top goal scorer for WA Thundersticks that season. Finally, in 2014 they went down to Tasmania by one, 3 – 2. Chris Basour and Trent Mitton both scored 5 goals each and were the top goal scorer for WA that tournament.

In the 2016 and 2015 Australian Hockey League tournament, the Diamonds finished in fifth place. In 2016, they versed the Malaysian Tigress for fifth place, winning the game 3 – 1. The Diamonds ended up finishing third in Pool A. Winning three games and losing two, but it all fell away in Pool B where they finished ninth as they didn’t win a game. Annie Gibbs was the highest goal scorer for the Diamonds side throughout the 2016 tournament with 3 goals.

In 2015, Diamonds went head to head with South Australia and they won, 2 – 1. Kathryn Slattery came up on top this time with 4 goals becoming the highest goal scorer for WA Diamonds in the 2015 tournament. In 2014, the Diamonds made it to the bronze medal match against Victoria, unfortunately, they lost 3 – 0. Kathryn Slattery got top goal scorer again shared with Jemma Buckley, with 4 goals each in the 2014 tournament.

Hockey Australia media release

Pure Hockey Gold: Hunger for World Cup success


GB win gold at Rio 2016

Almost a year on from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games the memories of Great Britain’s golden victory remain fondly in the memory.

For a number of England’s current squad this experience is feeding a hunger to replicate these memories and a thirst for more gold.

Many of the squad are now Olympic and European gold medallists with only a World Cup gold missing from a hat-trick of gold! Details on how to secure your seats to witness Pure Hockey Gold in London next summer can be found here while you can pre-register for the public ballot here.

It was Hollie Webb who scored the winning penalty in the famous Olympic shootout and she admits that winning feeling is one she is desperate to repeat: “For me on the pitch in Rio I knew I was going to carry on but I knew then that I wanted to do this all over again.

“That feeling will be the same if we win the World Cup as England next year so it definitely makes me more hungry to get more success with this new team.”

Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch saved all four penalties she faced, she said: “Once you’ve had a taste of gold it makes you realise what it’s all about and you get a bit greedy! I want to go through all that euphoria all over again.

“We have the opportunity to win the second biggest title at home, I remember the European Championships and the celebrations were probably greater than Rio, every single person in that stadium bar the odd Dutch fan was just euphoric.

“Can you imagine if we manage to do it in front of a bigger home crowd off the back of Rio?”

Sophie Bray has Olympic and European golden medals to her name, she added: “My first taste of gold was at the Euros and you just want to do it again and again.

“That winning feeling in sport is just incredible and that’s a big motivation of why we train as hard as we can so we can do it all over again.

England Hockey Board Media release

Rain mars hockey

Matilda Simmons


St Johns College Mereani Vakaloloma in action during the Fiji Sceondary Schools tournament at Nasau Park in Levuka. Picture: SOPHIE RALULU

BAD weather at the final day of the Tuckers Fiji Secondary Schools Hockey competition gave organisers no option but to hold penalty strokes in the finals of the U16 and U19 boys and girls grade.

The finals of the games had to be cancelled due to the soggy conditions of the ground. The under-16 final of the girl's grade saw Levuka Public School beating St Thomas High School 1-0 in the penalty shoot-out while in the boys final, St Thomas shot two penalties to beat defending champions Tilak High School.

In the U19 final of the girls grade Nadi Sangam School had no response to St Joseph's Secondary School's powerful strikes losing 3-0. In the boys grade it was a penalty shootout that hinged on passion and tears as the crowd rallied around Natabua High School and Suva Grammar School.

Natabua eventually came out top beating Suva Grammar 4-0.

The weather did not deter the enthusiasm of the kids as many came out to support the players. "What was outstanding for me was the passion these children had," said national hockey coach Hector Smith. It hurts to see them cry but it's part and parcel of winning and losing."

The three-day tournament ended with much fanfare yesterday.

The Fiji Times

Students impress

Matilda Simmons

THE Tuckers Fiji Secondary Schools Hockey Tournament in Levuka will see some players scouted for the national team to take part at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina.

The was confirmed by Fiji national hockey coach Hector Smith, who was at Levuka during the three-day event which ended yesterday.

He said it was encouraging to see the revival of the sport in Levuka.

"The schools that came across to Levuka were those that survived the eliminations in their various districts. So you had four U16 coming from the western side, four from the eastern side and two from Levuka. This is part of the trials for our U18 youth Olympics team to Argentina so we've got a list of names we've been observing in the districts and also at the tournament here," he said.

"Overall we're really happy that we brought hockey back to Levuka. It used to be the powerhouse of hockey. Levuka Public School was quite strong; forget about beating them over here. I spent half of my life in Levuka and it's always a pride to play here. Overall we wished it would have been a better weather. I think sportsmanship and national umpires contributed to the quality of the tournament and the students got the benefit of it, I don't think we had any injuries….for us it's a plus and it's a clear cut winner. We want one of these teams to go for the youth Olympics but it will totally depend on their commitment."

The Fiji Times