News for 01 March 2018
All the news for Thursday 1 March 2018
Pools and match schedule for Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 revealed
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the pools and match schedule for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, taking place in India between Wednesday 28 November and Sunday 16 December 2018.
Over the course of the nineteen-day competition, sixteen of the world’s best men’s international hockey teams will take to the field at the 16,000 capacity Kalinga Stadium, a venue that is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment in preparation for what is certain to be a spectacular event both on and off the field.
The Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 sees 15 qualifying nations join hosts India in the race for the title. The host nation were joined by teams who qualified thanks to their performances either at the last year’s Hockey World League Semi-Finals competitions in London and Johannesburg or by being crowned as continental champions.
The 16 teams have been split into four pools of four, with Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina (current FIH Hero World Ranking: 2) competing in Pool A alongside New Zealand (WR: 9), Spain (WR:8) and France (WR:18), while reigning world champions Australia (WR: 1) take on England (WR:7), Ireland (WR:10) and China (WR:17) in Pool B.
Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallists Belgium (WR:3) will compete in Pool C alongside home favourites and 1975 world champions India (WR:6), Canada (WR:11) and African continental champions South Africa (WR:15), with European title holders and three time world champions the Netherlands (WR:4) taking on two-time champions Germany (WR:5), Malaysia (WR:12) and Pakistan (WR:13), World Cup winners in 1971, 1978, 1982, 1994, in a tough looking Pool D.
The pool phase of the competition will take place from Wednesday 28 November to Sunday 9 December, with two matches per day being played at 1700 and 1900 India Standard Time (UTC +05:30) respectively. Each day of action will be pool focussed, with the opening day’s play featuring two matches in Pool C as Shane McLeod’s Belgium take on Canada before host nation India target a winning start when they face South Africa.
There are numerous eye-catching fixtures in the pool phase, including the mouth-watering Pool D meeting two former world champions in Germany and Pakistan on Saturday 1 December, Asia champions India taking on European giants Belgium on Sunday 2 December and England aiming to upset the odds against the mighty Kookaburras of Australia on Tuesday 4 December.
A first place finish in each pool will guarantee a berth in the Quarter-Finals, with the second and third place finishers in each pool needing to win a cross-over match, which will be played on Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 December, in order to reach the last eight. The Quarter-Finals will take place on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 December.
Following a rest day on Friday 14 December, a huge weekend of action will take place. The event Semi-Finals will be played on Saturday 15 December, with the bronze medal and the showpiece Final scheduled for Sunday 16 December.
The Odisha region and Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium are already familiar locations for Hockey fans. Not only did they successfully host the 2014 Men’s Hero Hockey Champions Trophy and, most recently, the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017, it is also home to the Coal India Hockey India League franchise Kalinga Lancers, winners of the 2017 League title. Thousands of fans will descend upon the venue to share in the glory of hockey’s biggest event, where the men’s World Cup champions will be crowned and legends will be made.
For those who can't make it to the venue, this event will be broadcast to millions across the world in over 100 countries through FIH's global broadcaster partners.
Keep up to date with all the latest news about this event via the official website and through FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 - Pools
Pool A: Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, France
Pool B: Australia, England, Ireland, China
Pool C: Belgium, India, Canada, South Africa
Pool D: Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan
CLICK HERE FOR MATCH SCHEDULE
The Vitality hockey Women's World Cup London 2018 will take place between 21 July and 5 August in England. Tickets for that event are still available. For more information, visit the Women's official website here.
#HWC2018
FIH site
Kookaburras’ Draw For World Cup Defence Confirmed
Ben Somerford
The Kookaburras’ pool opponents and schedule for their Men’s Hockey World Cup title defence has today been confirmed with the side to play England, Ireland and China in Pool B.
The pools and schedule for the 16-team 2018 Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup which will take place in Bhubaneswar, India, from November 28 to December 16 were officially released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday evening (AEDT).
The world number one Kookaburras are the reigning back-to-back World Cup champions, having triumphed in The Hague in 2014 with a memorable 6-1 win over hosts Netherlands in the final, as well as lifting the 2010 World Cup in India.
Australia’s first game at this year’s event will be against Ireland (10th world ranking) on November 30, followed by England (seventh) on December 4 and China (17th) on December 7.
The quarter-finals will take place on December 12-13, the semi-finals on December 15, with the final on Sunday December 16.
The Kookaburras, who are three-time World Cup winners, will get a look at both Ireland and England next week when they compete at the Azlan Shah Cup.
The 16 national men's teams qualified for the event now know who they will face in next year's pinnacle event.
For those who can't make it to the venue, this event will be broadcast to millions across the world in over 100 countries through FIH's global broadcaster partners.
Keep up to date with all the latest news about this event via the official website and through FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. #HWC2018
2018 Men’s World Cup pools
Pool A: Argentina (2), Spain (8), New Zealand (9), France (18)
Pool B: Australia (1), England (7), Ireland (10), China (17)
Pool C: Belgium (3), India (6), Canada (11), South Africa (15)
Pool D: Netherlands (4), Germany (5), Malaysia (12), Pakistan (13)
Hockey Australia media release
Black Sticks men draw Argentina, Spain, France in 2018 World Cup pool
Marcus Child and the Black Sticks men will face Argentina, Spain and France in pool play at the 2018 Men's World Cup. ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT
The Black Sticks men will face world No 2 Argentina in pool play at the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup in India.
On current world rankings, New Zealand, the world No 8, will be the second-ranked team in Pool A for the tournament from November 28-December 16 in Bhubaneswar after also being grouped with ninth-ranked Spain and 16th-ranked France.
The Black Stick will open against France on November 29, followed by what could be a match for the top spot in the pool with Argentina on December 3, before closing out pool play against Spain on December 6.
Pool winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while second- and third-placed nations move through to eighth-final playoffs.
New Zealand reached the World Cup after not initially qualifying from a sixth-placed finish at the FIH Hockey World League Semifinal in Johannesburg in July. When higher-placed nations won their continental titles, the Black Sticks qualified for the 16-team tournament.
The world No 1 Australia Kookaburras were grouped with England (7), Ireland (10) and China (17) in Pool B, while hosts India (6) were joined by Belgium (3), Canada (11) and South Africa (15) in Pool C. The 'Pool of Death' could be Pool D where No 4 Netherlands, No 5 Germany, No 12 Malaysia and No 13 Pakistan will battle it out.
New Zealand umpires Simon Taylor and David Tomlinson are part of the 16-strong officials panel for the tournament.
In November, the world No 5 Black Sticks women were grouped with fourth-ranked Australia, 12th-ranked Japan and 13th-ranked Belgium in Pool D for the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup in London from July 21-August 5.
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The New Zealand women are coming off a 4-1 series loss to world No 3 Argentina.
Both New Zealand teams will contest the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast from April 5-14. The men are grouped with Australia, Canada, South Africa and Scotland in Pool A, while the women join Australia, Canada, Ghana and Scotland in Pool B.
Stuff
India gets a good draw for HWC
Sixth-ranked India has been grouped with Belgium, Canada and South Africa in an easy Pool C in the opening round of the Hockey World Cup to be held in Bhubaneswar from November 28 to December 16, it was announced on Wednesday.
At No. 3, Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Belgium is the only higher-ranked team, while Canada and South Africa have rankings of 11 and 15 respectively.
India will meet South Africa on the opening day, Belgium on December 2 and six days later will take on Canada at the Kalinga Stadium, according to the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
A first place finish in each pool will guarantee a berth in the quarterfinals, with the second and third place finishers in each pool needing to win a cross-over match.
The pools: Pool-A: Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, France; Pool B: Australia, England, Ireland, China; Pool C: Belgium, India, Canada, South Africa; Pool D: Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan.
Daily News & Analysis
Canada will face India, Belgium and South Africa
Canadian field hockey fans can officially mark the following date on their calendar: November 28, 2018 – Canada will face world number three Belgium in the opening game of the 2018 FIH World Cup, in Bhubaneswar, India.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) officially announced the preliminary pools and match schedule for the World Cup this morning. In addition to the Belgian national team, Canada will also face Commonwealth rivals, South Africa and India. Canada will test themselves against South Africa at the Commonwealth Games in a month’s time, which will be a good litmus test to see where the team is at heading into the fall’s World Cup.
CANADA 2018 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
Nov 28 – CAN vs BEL 1700
Dec 2 – CAN vs RSA 1700
Dec 8 – CAN vs IND 1900
The Canada vs India game poses a particularly mouth-watering matchup. As Canadian fans will remember all-to-well, Canada qualified for this World Cup by defeating India 3-2 in a thrilling World League Semi-Final match last summer. Despite Canada only having one victory against India since the turn of the century, it’s a rivalry worth keeping an eye on. That game against the host-nation India takes place on December 8, 2018 at 7PM local time.
Field Hockey Canada media release
Odisha World Cup Schedule Announced
The FIH have officially released the pools and schedule for the Odisha World Cup in Bhubaneswar (November 28th- December 16th). The Green Machine find themselves in Pool B alongside world number 1 side Australia, England and China.
Ireland’s World Cup campaign gets under way on November 30th against the world number 1 and defending world champions Australia. The Kookaburras will be without talisman and 4-time Olympian Mark Knowles who has announced he will retire after the upcoming Commonwealth Games. But they are a potent threat with the experienced Jake Wheton and the goal scoring prowess of Blake Govers who has 48 goals in his 57 caps. The two sides don’t meet all that frequently but they will face off in the upcoming Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia on March 3rd.
Ireland’s second match comes on December 4th against China, currently ranked 17th in the world, they beat higher ranked Korea at World League in London to finish in 8th position.
The Green Machine’s final pool match is on December 7th against England, a side they will also meet at the Azlan Shah on March 6th. The two teams are familiar foes and most recently met at the European Championships in Amsterdam last August where England narrowly edged the encounter 2-1. Prior to that Ireland put 4 past the English at Lee Valley to earn an historic European bronze medal in 2015.
Commenting on the announcement, head coach Craig Fulton said “We are happy with our World Cup draw, it’s a competitive pool and we have played all the teams recently which is a positive. There are 3-day breaks between our pool matches which will take some getting used to with lots of down time as there are only two games a day on the schedule”.
Fulton expressed his dismay at the new World Cup structure “I don’t agree with not playing any classification matches which is a real shame in this World Cup. Worst case scenario is you could potentially only play 3 pool games and then go home, when in the past you played 7 games to a final position and that’s real value for money”.
Ireland’s Odisha World Cup Pool Fixtures:
Friday 30th November 5pm Ireland vs Australia
Tuesday 4th December 7pm Ireland vs China
Friday 7th December 7pm Ireland vs England
*All times listed are local
Irish Hockey Association media release
USWNT Closes Canada Test Series with a Win and Tie
CHULA VISTA, Calif - The U.S. Women's National Team continued to emphasize development and growth in their final two matches of their four-game test series with FIH Hero World Ranked No. 21 Canada at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. Game three saw the USWNT come back from an early goal against to produce some well executed passing sequences to earn a 2-1 win. After being tied 1-1 after the first quarter, USA produced two scoreless middle quarters before rallying back and tying the fourth and final game at 3-3.
Game 3: USA 2, CAN 1
The USWNT came out strong and produced very good build-up and possession through the midfield and into the circle. Canada's defense held strong and limited USA's attacking opportunities. However, Canada struck first in the 5th minute off a counter attack. USA turned the ball over on a potential circle entry and Canada regained possession, got it through a group of USA defenders and found joining opposite midfielder Stephanie Norlander who entered the circle and pushed it into the far corner of the goal. The score finished in favor of Canada 1-0 in the first quarter.
USA bounced back and was able to convert in the 28th minute to tie the score in the second quarter. The play came off a long hit from just to the right of the center of the field when Katelyn Ginolfi (Lewes, Del.) passed the ball to Michelle Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) for a deflection into the circle. Jill Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) was on the other end, beat her defender and pushed it across goal where Melissa Gonzalez (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) finished. It was a brilliant sequence of play by the USA.
The third quarter, USA had an attacking circle entry where M. Vittese dribbled the ball and tried to create something by lifting it slightly. It ricocheted off a Canada defender, where Gonzalez picked i up and played it off to Ginolfi who pushed it on target. The Canada defender made the save but rebounded it to the far post where Kathleen Sharkey (Moosic, Pa.) tapped it in. Again, it was another great collective USA effort to grab the go-ahead goal.
Throughout the game, both sides created chances. USA's defense and goalkeeper Jackie Briggs (Robesonia, Pa.) played phenomenally, and really held their own against the Canada's offense.
It was a great collective effort and an important victory in preparation for the Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup London 2018 in July.
Game 3 Roster: Lauren Blazing (Durham, N.C.), Jackie Briggs (Robesonia, Pa.), Stefanie Fee (Virginia Beach, Va.), Ali Froede (Burke, Va.), Katelyn Ginolfi (Lewes, Del.), Melissa Gonzalez (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.), Laura Hurff (Newark, Del.), Amanda Magadan (Randolph, N.J.), Erin Matson (Chadds Ford, Pa.), Alyssa Manley (Lititz, Pa.), Lauren Moyer (York, Pa.), Margaux Paolino (Villanova, Pa.), Kathleen Sharkey (Moosic, Pa.), Caitlin Van Sickle (Wilmington, Del.), Michelle Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Taylor West (Princess Anne, Md.), Jill Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.)
Game 4: USA 3, CAN 3
The start of match four for the USA was not great and seemed a bit off. The first goal of the game was scored by Canada's Stephanie Norlander in the 9th minute off a circle entry from deep along the baseline. The play built up when a Canada striker posted up, received the ball and ran along the right sideline and played the ball to their joining midfielder. The ball was then played into another striker, who was posted up on a USA defender who allowed her to receive and pull right to create the right baseline entry. The ball was shot and rebounded off USA goalkeeper Lauren Blazing (Durham, N.C.) and finished by Norlander on a backhand shot.
Just five minutes later, USA converted on a penalty corner that was inserted out to M. Vittese who swept it from the top and Witmer redirected it on target and in the goal. This finished the quarter tied at 1-1.
Ten minutes into the second quarter, a USA turnover ended up being a 3v2 counter attack around the 25 yard line. Canada entered on the left baseline and tossed a ball up diagonally in front of USA goalkeeper Alesha Widdall (Whitney Point, N.Y.) where it was slapped home by joining midfielder Caashia Karringten. This put Canada up 2-1.
The third quarter was scoreless as the USA entered the fourth quarter trailing and knew they had to dig deep to produce outcomes and tighten up on defense. In the 47th minute after some sustained USA attack, the USWNT earned a penalty corner. Ali Froede (Burke, Va.) swept the ball which hit Canada's goalkeeper and rebounded to the far post. It was collected and hit into the back of the net by Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) to tie the match at 2-2.
With time ticking down, the pressure was on for both teams. In the 58th minute, Canada produced their third goal which came from a failed USA attempt at a double team in the far corner. The ball popped over a USA defender's stick, then lifted into the circle where it was touched by a Canada striker and then redirected to a running through Brienne Stairs, who eventually had the time and space to rip a backhand.
Putting USA down once again and with only two minutes remaining, they pushed the tempo and increased their opportunities. Within the final minute of play, M. Vittese created a circle penetration by running quickly and putting the ball into the circle where it was deflected off a Canada stick which was called dangerous, giving USA a penalty corner. The ball was inserted, swept on goal by M. Vittese and deflected off the flier and fell perfectly to the stick of T. Vittese who skillfully touch the ball off the deflection into the back of the goal. This finished the match and tied the game just before the regulation buzzer. The 3-3 scoreline was a great team effort after an intense attacking push.
The final match wasn't the prettiest game but it was a resilient effort by USA to come back multiple times to score and eventually tie the game.
Game 4 Roster: Mary Beth Barham (Fairfax, Va.), Lauren Blazing (Durham, N.C.), Catherine Caro (Martinsville, N.J.), Anna Dessoye (Mountaintop, Pa.), Amanda Dinunzio (State College, Pa.), Ali Froede (Burke, Va.), Katelyn Ginolfi (Lewes, Del.), Laura Hurff (Newark, Del.), Erin McCrudden (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), Alyssa Parker (Woodbine, Md.), Loren Shealy (Charlotte, N.C.), Caitlin Van Sickle (Wilimington, Del.), Carissa Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Michelle Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Taylor West (Princess Anne), Alesha Widdall (Whitney Point, N.Y.), Jill Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will host Chile in a four-game test series at Spooky Nook Sports, the Home of Hockey, in Lancaster, Pa. from April 9-14. For more information on this series, including ticket sales, check out the official USWNT vs. Chile, presented by Citi, Event Page.
USFHA media release
Malaysian midfield conundrum
By Aftar Singh
KUALA LUMPUR: National skipper Sukri Abdul Mutalib is among four players who will not see action in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, which begins on Saturday.
Sukri, who marshals the midfield, is down with a hamstring injury while Amirol Aided Arshad suffered bruises after a motorcycle accident in Subang on Tuesday.
Defender Mohd Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin and forward Mohd Ramadan Rosli are both down with knee injuries. It will be an uphill task for Malaysia in the tournament in the absence of the vastly experienced Sukri.
National chief coach Stephen van Huizen, who named the final squad of 18 yesterday, said they don’t want to take a risk by fielding injured players.
“We don’t want to rush in naming the players for the tournament as these four players have many tournaments to play this year.
“It was unfortunate for Amirol as he met with an accident in Subang after playing in the friendly match against Argentina on Tuesday. He was discharged from the Sungai Buloh Hospital today and needs two weeks to recover.
“This will give other players in the training squad the chance to play in the tournament,” said Stephen, whose son Joel also suffered a thigh injury after the second friendly match against reigning Olympic champions Argentina at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Joel will know in the next two days whether he will feature in the team after undergoing two days of training in Ipoh.
If he does not recover in time, then Muhammad Najib Abu Hassan will replace Joel.
Malaysia won the second friendly match 3-0 with the goals coming from Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim, Firhan Ashaari and Fitri Saari.
Malaysia will have two days of training in Ipoh before they open their campaign against World No. 10 Ireland on Saturday.
The other teams in the fray are world No. 1 and world champions Australia, Argentina, England and India.
THE SQUAD
Muhammad Razie Abd Rahim, Muhammad Najmi Farizal Jazlan, Faiz Helmi Jali, Syed Mohamad Syafiq Syed Cholan, Muhammad Azri Hassan, Mohd Marhan Mohd Jalil, Mohd Fitri Saari, Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abd Jalil, Faizal Saari, Nik Muhammad Aiman Nik Rozemi, Muhammad Firhan Ashaari, Meor Muhamad Azuan Hassan, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Joel van Huizen, Muhammad Shahril Saabah.
Reserve: Muhammad Najib Abu Hassan.
The Star of Malaysia
India to face Argentina in tournament opener
Indian Hockey Team , Twitter @TheHockeyIndia
The 18-member Indian men's hockey team led by the experienced midfielder Sardar Singh has left for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2018. The team will begin their campaign on March 3 against 2016 Olympic champion Argentina.
Speaking about the team's preparations for the tournament, Captain Sardar Singh expressed confidence about their prospects in the prestigious annual event which will see World No.1 Australia, World No.2 Argentina, England, Ireland, hosts Malaysia in the fray.
"It will be a good competition and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has for long been a tournament that sets the pace for the rest of the calendar year and doing well here will be important for us. We have had a grueling camp in SAI, Bengaluru where the focus was on taking our attack and defensive skills to the next level," stated the 31-year-old midfielder ahead of the team's departure.
In the previous edition, India had finished third after beating New Zealand 4-0 while Great Britain won the title after beating Australia 4-3 in the final.
In the Pool Stage, though India had a mixed outing with a 2-2 draw against Great Britain in their first match, followed by 3-0 win against New Zealand in their second match, but lost to Australia 1-3 before a narrow 4-3 win against Japan. But it was the 0-1 loss against hosts Malaysia that had dented their chance to enter the Final.
"It is extremely important to start the tournament well. A good match against Argentina will give the team the confidence for the rest of the matches to follow. Every match in the Pool Stage will be important to ensure a place in the final. We have beaten teams like Australia and England in the past and have done well against Argentina too, we just need to ensure we play in a structured manner and execute the team's plans perfectly," he said.
Since the tournament's inception in 1983, the Indian team has lifted the coveted Cup five times (1985, 1991, 1995, 2009, while they shared the trophy with South Korea in 2010).
In 2016, when Sardar last captained the Indian team, they had ended the tournament with a silver medal after losing 0-4 to Australia in the final.
"It is always a proud moment to lead the Indian team. But my role will be no different from what I have been doing in the camp where we seniors have taken the responsibility to guide the junior players in the squad. At tournament too, it will be important to help them shake off the initial nervousness and I am confident with senior players like Ramandeep Singh, SK Uthappa, Surender Kumar and Talwinder Singh and very talented junior players, we will come up with a good show," signed off the charismatic midfielder.
Daily News & Analysis
Kooka Insight: Tales From Within The Camp In Malaysia
Heat, Coffee, Carbs and Hockey.
By Jeremy Edwards from Ipoh, Malaysia
Sunday morning saw us flying from Perth to Kuala Lumpur at the very civilised time of 2am, which is well and truly past our bed times. Despite the red eyes, the excitement of the 27th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup was keeping spirits high.
We were met at the KL airport by the East Coast contingent of our off-field team, as well as Dylan ‘pretty boy’ Wotherspoon and our illustrious captain Mark Knowles. ‘Skip’ has recently announced he will retire after the Commonwealth games and it’s fair to say we were all saddened by the news. As they say all good things must come to an end, or in this case great things.
After some much-needed sleep and resetting of our body clocks, Monday saw us up and about and ready for training. We pride ourselves on bringing energy to everything we do, and motivation is as high as ever amongst the group after losing last year’s final 4-3 to Great Britain. Hopefully this edition sees us go one better. 
As has been part of the routine for this tournament we visited a local gymnasium for a quick weights session to get ourselves moving again. Although it wasn’t quite the same gym we are used to, it had what we needed to get in a quality session. Unfortunately for Tyler Lovell there weren’t enough weights in the gym for him to use, so he proceeded to lift the foundations of the gym to ensure he could “work on the pipes”.
If you’ve ever been to Malaysia the first thing you notice is the heat (30+ degrees), and the humidity (80-100 per cent). It’s pretty similar to my home state of Tassie, perhaps a little cooler….. Put a team of hockey players and support staff in a gym for 40 minutes and your end result is a shallow swimming pool of sweat across the whole gym floor. Tasty! 
After some recovery and lunch, we had a meeting in the afternoon before our evening training session. We discussed some key themes which we want to continue to improve on, and also what we are going to train specifically in the lead up to our first game on Saturday.
Training at 5.30 pm local time is hot, in fact training at any time here is hot. Our first session was used to get familiarised with the turf and temperature and also get some run into the legs after our transit. Tuesday saw us have a pretty tough and intense session, aiming to build ourselves up for the start of the tournament. The extra drinks breaks added into training have been a welcome addition, as during training and games here guys will sweat off a few kilos, so hydration is paramount. 
Fuelling up is equally as important, and the local cuisine involves a lot of rice, noodles and curry. It’s fair to say we aren’t struggling with the carb loading options. Coffee is also a required beverage with a fair portion of players and staff self-proclaimed coffee connoisseurs. The caffeine and social element of a ‘brew up’ amongst the rooms involving aero presses and beans brought over from Australia is a frequent occurrence.
There’s a little insight into our daily movements here in Ipoh, we have a practice match against India on Thursday before game one versus the old enemy England on Saturday night at 9pm AEDT.
Be sure to tune into Fox Sports and watch the Kookas in action!
*Australia’s first game vs England will be televised on delay at 6am AEDT Sunday on Fox Sports 506. All Kookaburras games will be live on Fox Sports from Tuesday.
Hockey Australia media release
Former Rotterdam man Knowles looking to bow out on a high
©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics
Retiring Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles says he remains as driven as ever to finish his decorated international career on a high at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Knowles confirmed he would retire from international hockey after the Gold Coast Games in April where the Kookaburras are chasing a sixth straight gold medal.
The 33-year-old has been part of three of Australia’s Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning sides and is determined to finish with another in his home state.
“I’m highly driven, I’ve been like this for my whole career,” Knowles said. “I’ve set extremely high standards for myself, for my team and for our sport.
“When I told my Mum for example, she said ‘why did you do all that running every day at Christmas?’ and I said ‘Mum I still want to be the best player in the world and I still want to be the best captain for the Kookaburras until April’.
“My standards are still extremely high and this allows me to enjoy the next 60 days to provide, shape and give more feedback to players who I won’t be around anymore.”
Previously, Knowles played in the EHL a number of times with Rotterdam, winning a couple of medals and netting one of the all-time great goals in front of a massive home crowd against HC Bloemendaal. Knowles and the Kookaburras left Australian shores for Malaysia over the weekend for the Azlan Shah Cup which will be the side’s preparation before the Commonwealth Games.
Australia will open their Azlan Shah Cup campaign on Saturday against England from 9pm AEDT, with the game televised on Fox Sports. The Kookaburras’ team for the Commonwealth Games will be named after the Azlan Shah Cup in mid-March.
Euro Hockey League media release
Hockey Squads for 2018 Commonwealth Games Revealed
With the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast only 34 days away, today Hockey Wales and Team Wales have revealed the 36 athletes that will represent Team Wales down under in April where they will go up against some of the top nations in World hockey.
Following a period of unprecedented results in Welsh hockey, qualification for the Gold Coast was confirmed in December last year and the goal of having both teams represent Wales at consecutive games was achieved. This will be the first time both Wales’ men’s and women’s teams will compete side by side since in an away games since 1998. The games will take place April 5th – April 15th at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre, and a full schedule can be seen here.
On the news of the selection Head of Performance Dan Clements commented:
“We would like to congratulate all athletes on their selection as it is testament to the hard work and commitment that they show on a daily basis in an effort to represent their country. We are extremely proud of all the athletes and staff that represent Wales in Hockey and we are really looking forward to playing our part with Team Wales on the Gold Coast”
On the back of a breath-taking 2017 the Wales men’s team will be looking to build on their success of qualifying for the European A division and the accolade of highest climbers in world rankings. No doubt the challenge will be tough on the Gold Coast however, with Wales drawn in pool B against India, Malaysia, Pakistan and England.
The squad will feature a number of players with Commonwealth experience including captain Lewis Prosser who currently sits on 116 caps. GB defender Dan Kyriakides is joined by his brother James, and there is also a spot for Hywel Jones on the back of his recent debut with the senior side. Returning from a lengthy injury Cardiff & Met’s Rhys Gowman returns to the squad after some impressive performances since coming through his rehabilitation.
Head Coach Zak Jones stated:
With such a competitive squad, the final selection of the eighteen athletes for the Gold Coast was incredibly difficult, which is a huge credit to all the players currently involved in the Senior Men’s programme. I’m very proud of where we are as a collective and would like to thank all the athletes involved for the selfless commitment and time they have put into the programme. As a group, we have made some huge strides forward over the past eighteen months and we will look to continue our development and learning on that upward trajectory in Australia. I feel that there is a really good balance to the squad, with a real blend of youth and experience, including seven athletes who competed in Glasgow in 2014.
The squad are very much looking forward to the unique challenge that the Commonwealth Games will present. The tournament presents the group with another fantastic opportunity to continue to grow and move forward, as well as to test themselves against some of the best nations in the world.
I feel that there is a growing belief within the squad and know that those selected will represent the Senior Men’s squad with great passion, pride and humility. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the athletes on their hard-earned selection.
The Wales women’s side will be looking forward to building on their World League and European exploits in 2017 and go up against India, South Africa, Malaysia and England in Pool A.
New captain Leah Wilkinson will be leading the squad into a major games for the first time with this being her 3rd as a Welsh international. Wilkinson stepped up as captain at the turn of the year after Abi Welsford made her decision to stand down from international hockey. Together they hold the title for most capped Welsh female hockey players.
Head Coach Kevin Johnson stated:
“This particular selection process has been the most competitive we have experienced in recent times and therefore it is an indication of the squad depth we have been trying to develop over time. Over the last couple of months, the players have demonstrated clear improvements physically, technically and tactically and we feel we are well placed to meet the challenge of facing higher ranked opponents that the Commonwealth Games will throw at us with a very positive mindset. We are continually motivated by challenge and excited about what the future holds for us as a group and this tournament is another stepping stone on this process and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve.”
Other notable inclusions to the squad are GB’s Rose Thomas fresh from her first caps against World powerhouses Argentina, and midfielder Sarah Jones. The squad will also see a debutant on the Gold Coast in midfielder Izzie Howell after graduating from the Wales U18 squad and performing very well in the senior environment.
With Izzie set to make her appearance for Wales Johnson explained:
“Izzie has entered the senior group pretty much straight from our National Age Group programme in September 2017 and has only just celebrated her 18th birthday. She has transitioned into life as a senior seamlessly with an assured nature to her play and has therefore fully deserved selection after a string of consistent performances across the training block. She will earn her 1st senior cap in the first game of the Commonwealth Games against India”.
Helen Phillips MBE, Chair of Commonwealth Games Wales shared her excitement around both teams making an appearance this year:
"It's absolutely great news that Hockey Wales have finalised the squads for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. This year will be the first time since 1998 for Team Wales to compete in both men's and women's hockey at an away Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to all the players who have made it to the final squads. We wish them all the very best and look forward to seeing some outstanding performances out in Australia next month."
Men’s Squad
Lewis Prosser © (Surbiton)
Luke Hawker © - (Cardiff & Met)
David Kettle – GK (Teddington)
James Fortnam – GK (Cardiff & Met)
Jacob Draper – Cardiff & Met)
Dale Hutchinson – (Reading)
Rhys Gowan - (Cardiff & Met)
Dan Kyriakides – (Reading)
James Kyriakides - (Southgate)
Alf Dinnie - (Cardiff & Met)
Ben Francis – (Reading)
Gareth Furlong - (Cardiff & Met)
Hywel Jones – (University of Birmingham)
Rupert Shipperley (Hamstead & Westminster)
Jonny Gooch – (Hamstead & Westminster)
Steve Kelly - (Hamstead & Westminster)
Owain Dolan Gray – (Reading)
James Carson – (Reading)
Women’s Squad
Leah Wilkinson © (Holcombe)
Sian French – VC (Bowdon Hightown)
Rose Thomas – GK (Holcombe)
Ella Jackson – GK (Buckingham)
Julie Whiting (Bowdon Hightown)
Natasha Marke-Jones (Clifton Robinsons)
Sophie Clayton (Clifton Robinsons)
Sarah Jones (Holcombe)
Lisa Daley (Clifton Robinsons)
Phoebe Richards (Buckingham)
Tina Evans (unattached)
Dannielle Jordan (Buckingham)
Eloise Laity (Buckingham)
Beth Bingham (Holcombe)
Izzie Howell (Neston)
Delyth Thomas (University of Birmingham)
Xenna Hughes (East Grinstead)
Jo Westwood (Holcombe)
Hockey Wales media release
PHF facing race against time to get team registered for CWG
Mohammad Yaqoob
LAHORE: The late hiring of Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans and the changes in the preliminary list of players and officials has meant that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is facing a race against time to get the team registered for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Dawn can reveal.
The Games begin in the Australian city of Gold Coast from April 4 and on Wednesday the organisers gave the PHF a grace period of 24 hours to send the full data of the squad.
According to reliable sources, the PHF has included Oltmans’ name in the list despite having not yet announced his appointment officially.
“It is our suggestion that you add the hockey athletes already in the system to your team in SEQ and then add the additional athletes once the information is provided by you and they are added to the system. Please return all data [of the players and officials] in the next 24 hours,” a letter sent on Wednesday by the organisation committee of the Games to the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) stated.
The POA then sent a letter to the PHF saying: “You are also aware of the fact that the accreditation/visa process closed in November 2017. Under the circumstances PHF may please explain the circumstances and reasons for the said oversight and deviation and give their justification for the drastic changes of including unaccredited athletes and officials.”
The last date for submission of the squad was initially November 24.
In the first list the PHF sent the names of 23 probables for online accreditation from which 18 were to be short-listed. However, now the PHF has retained only eight from that list while adding 10 new players who are yet to be accredited.
The PHF also sent names of six officials at the time of online accreditation and out of them only one remains with five new ones, including Oltmans and assistant coaches Muhammad Saqlain and Rehan Butt, being sent. Hasan Sardar was initially named as head coach but will now travel to the Games as manager.
Squad: Imran Butt, Mazhar Abbas, Mohammad Irfan Senior, Mohammad Faisal Qadir, Mubashar Ali, Mohammad Aleem Bilal, Tazeem-ul-Hassan, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Mohammad Toseeq Arshad, Mohammad Rizwan Senior, Shafqat Rasool, Mohammad Dilber, Shan Irshad, Mohammad Irfan Junior, Rana Suhail Riaz, Mohammad Atiq, Samiullah.
Officials: Hassan Sardar (manager), Roelant Wouter Oltmans (head coach), Muhammad Saqlain, Rehan Butt (assistant coaches), Zafis Bin Talib (physio), Mohammad Nadeem Khan Lodhi (video analyst).
Dawn
PHF appoints World Cup-winner Oltmans as new coach for hockey team
Zeeshan Ahmed
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) made a major coup on Wednesday, signing World Cup-winning Dutch trainer Roelant Oltmans as the new head coach for the national team, DawnNews reported.
Oltmans, 63, has been handed a two-year deal by the federation and will link up with the squad on March 7 in Karachi.
"We have reached an agreement with Oltmans," said PHF Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr. "We acquired his services due to his vast experience.
"He will also help the PHF in setting up the structure of our hockey academies."
Having coached the Dutch as well as the Indian national hockey team, the veteran Dutchman brings a wealth of experience with himself.
He was also a part of the Netherlands side that defeated Pakistan 3-1 in the final of the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore.
Oltamans, who last visited Pakistan in 2004, becomes the first foreign head coach of Pakistan's hockey team in eight years. The last time a Dutchman was in charge of the national team, they had ended up winning the 2010 Asian Games gold medal.
The year 2018 is considered an important one for the national hockey team as it is scheduled to partake in Commonwealth Games, Champions Trophy, Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy and the World Cup.
Dawn
Nuraslinda steers Blue Warriors to victory
KUALA LUMPUR: National forward Nuraslinda Said (pic) powered Blue Warriors into the Vivian May Soars Cup final with a late goal against last year’s defending champions Terengganu Ladies.
Terengganu paid the price after their goalkeeper Mas Huzaimah Mohd Aziz failed to clear the ball and Nuraslinda calmly pushed the ball into goal in the 50th minute at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
It was a hard-fought win for Blue Warriors as Terengganu pushed them all the way until the blunder by Mas Huzaimah.
Blue Warriors, powered by three Indian players, will face PKS Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten)-KPT in the final tomorrow.
Uniten, on the other hand, warmed up for the final match by going on a goal spree to trounce hapless KL Wipers 11-2 in the first semi-final match.
Blue Warriors coach Zulkhairi Ariffin was thrilled with the performance of his charges.
“My girls worked very hard in the match as Terengganu gave us a fight from the start to the final whistle.
“We are happy to be in the final and have one day of rest before we face our nemesis Uniten.
“The morale of the team is also high after tonight’s win,” said Zulkhairi.
The Uniten match against KL Wipers started at 6pm but could not resume after two minutes due to downpour and lightning.
The match resumed play 50 minutes later and Uniten went on the offensive to hammer in 11 goals.
Nuraini Abdul Rashid (fourth, eighth, 23rd), Hanis Nadiah Onn (13th, 17th, 27th) and Fatin Shafika Moohd Sukri (18th, 33rd, 40th) each scored a hattrick for Uniten.
Nur Aisyah Yaacob (27th) and Nadia Zamri (43rd) contributed the other goals while Siti Nur Amirah Azmi (41st) and Hasya Syahida Saifuddin (60th) replied for KL Wipers.
The Star of Malaysia
FIH ranks T&T 12th in world
Nigel Simon
Raphael Govia - T&T’s senior men’s head hockey coach
T&T senior men’s indoor hockey team is now ranked 12th in the world according to the latest International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hero Indoor World Rankings which released on Monday. The latest news come after T&T's 3-2 loss to Russia in the ninth placed play-off at the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Berlin, Germany on February 11.
The ‘Calypso Stickmen’ coached by former national player Raphael Govia were beaten in five of their six matches.
These included defeats four in five of their Pool A round-robin matches to three-time champions and host country Germany (10-2), Czech Republic (7-2), Poland (11-5), and Australia (7-6) before registering a first ever victory at the event, 6-4 over Kazakhstan.
Commenting on the move, T&T Hockey Board President, Douglas Camacho said the jump in the rankings was a great sign for local hockey.
“We are very satisfied with the improved rankings we were hopeful of getting into the top ten as well, but unfortunately major indoor hockey tournaments like these don’t come around too often," stated Douglas.
Prior to the tournament, the Solomon Eccles-captined T&T squad also defeated South Africa 2-1 in an official warm-up encounter after a 5-4 loss to Russia.
Austria men became the number one ranked indoor team following its dream start to 2018, by beating Germany in a shoot-out in the men’s gold medal match after also winning the EuroHockey Indoor Championship.
Austria replaced Germany at the top, with their European neighbours slipping one place to number two while Czech Republic made a giant leap from sixth to third after a fifth placed finish.
Iran are the highest ranked Asian team as they also move up the rankings from seventh to fourth after a bronze medal finish in Germany with a win over Australia.
The two biggest beneficiaries of finishing with a Indoor Hockey World Cup placing above their rankings were Belgium and T&T.
Belgium's sixth place finish in Berlin sees them climb from 16th to 10th, while the ‘Calypso Stickmen’ which captured the Pan American Indoor Hockey title with a 7-0 mauling of Argentina in Guyana last October improved from 18th to 12th on the back of its top ten finish.
However, It's bad news for the Netherlands and Russia.
Netherlands failure to qualify for the Indoor World Cup has meant the 2015 Indoor Hockey World Cup winners have slipped to eighth, while Russia’s ninth place finish in Berlin leaves them in sixth, a drop of two places. England also dropped down the rankings from 13th to 16th.
Switzerland move up one place to seventh; Australia – who enjoyed a great World Cup where they finished fourth – move up two places to sit at number nine. Other rising teams include South Africa (12th to 11th), Kazakhstan (16th to 13th) and Denmark (19th to 18th).
There have also been some big casualties on the back of performances in continental events.
France dropped from 22nd to 39th; USA have plummeted from 15th to 42nd and Canada will be disappointed to have fallen down the rankings from 10th to 15th.
The Trinidad Guardian
Hockey season flicks off March 18
Nigel Simon
Following the disappointment of a cancelled T&T Hockey Board (T&THB) Outdoor 2017 season, this year’s league competition will flick off on Sunday March 18 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Training Ground, Mucurapo with the opening day tournament from 8am.
According to T&THB Honourary Secretary, Reyah Richardson, with the late start to the 2018 season the T&THB Competitions Committee is currently finalizing the outdoor league format in the different competing divisions.
The T&THB is ideally hopeful of completing two rounds of hockey in each of the men and women Championship Divisions, with at least one round in the Trinity Division, Under-19 Division and the Mixed Veterans’.
The decision for a second round in the other divisions will be based on time and venue availability. In all of this the local hockey board also has to ensure that the national training squads (senior men and women) are well prepared for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Baranquilla, Colombia (July 20-August 3) as our mandate is to ensure the successful completion of the outdoor domestic league competitions.
However, Richardson, a former national defender added, “We also have to be mindful that our main venue at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua is unavailable to us and we are not certain when it will become fit for use. There is an electrical situation at the facility that has to be rectified and the T&THB is unsure of the timelines for completion”.
She added, “Providing these situations continue throughout the season, the T&THB will continue to try and source other available outdoor venues while still continuing to use the Hasely Crawford Stadium venue once it is available to us.”
The TTHB was unformed by the Ministry of Sports that it was in the process of sourcing additional funds to complete the purchase of the turf at a cost $1,356,000 for the mat from German supplier Polytan to replaced the 11-year old turf at Tacarigua.
Overall, more than 40 teams from some 20 clubs, featuring approximately 200 players were affected by the recent development.
The current hockey format comprises of over 20 teams in the Open Men and Women divisions, all fielding teams in the other divisions such as the Under-19s, Trinity or Second division and the Mixed Veteran division.
The Trinidad Guardian
Davis expanding hockey knowledge to Namibia
by Helge Schütz
Nku Davis (right) with Andre Stadler and Amanda Moresche of Gurus Hockey Club.
NKU Davis, an international hockey coach and umpire from Trinidad and Tobago is currently in Namibia, assisting with the development of the game at grassroots and high performance levels.
He was initially invited by the coach of Gurus Hockey Club, Andre Stadler, to help with coaching at Gurus, but since his arrival in Namibia two weeks ago he has already been roped in at various levels of the game.
He has already held coaching clinics at schools and clubs, while the Namibia Hockey Union has also enlisted his services as an umpire at Premier League matches in the Bank Windhoek Indoor Hockey League.
“I met Andre in the United States where we were both coaching at a club in Pennsylvania and he asked me if I would like to come to Namibia to help with coaching at his club. I had already decided to take some time off so if I can combine a vacation with hockey than I see that as a blessing,” he said.
“I've been coaching at Gurus and also at Constantia Primary School where Andre's mother Nora is the principal. Nora is also the chairperson of Gurus, but they don't mind me helping out elsewhere, for them it's all about the development of the game in Namibia,” he said.
Although he formed part of the Trinidad and Tobago u21 training squad as a goalkeeper in 2005, it was at a coaching and administrative level that he has taken his game further.
“I went into a hockey administration role after 2005 and eventually got my international umpire FIH badge and my FIH coaching certificate,” he said.
“Since then I've coached and played in Germany and the United States, while I formed part of the Trinidad and Tobago national women's coaching squad and I also coached Barbados' women's team between 2015 and 2017. I took them to the Pan American Challenge where we came second behind Brazil, but we gained revenge at an Olympic Test event at the beginning of 2016 when we beat Brazil and won the tournament,” he said.
Davis said he has been welcomed with open arms in Namibia and was keen to share his knowledge of the game.
“It's very familiar and exciting because there is so much room for development and training. The players and coaches are eager to learn, so it's exciting for me as a coach to pass on my knowledge,” he said.
Davis has been impressed by the standard of hockey in Namibia, but said it was important to get more international exposure.
“Men's hockey in Namibia is quite strong, but what's missing is that extra bit of experience and exposure at a higher level. You have athletes who can play at a high level, but you don't have coaches who have been exposed to a higher level of competition.
“Here your players have good basic skills and they play the game at a high intensity, but they lack in terms of experience and tactics. For instance, I don't see them initiating second or third phase attacks when the first phase breaks down - they either go back to first phase or to counter-attacks,” he said.
“But this is more a problem of coaching and the lack of available knowledge. I think it will be a good idea to send your local coaches abroad, because when they come back they can affect changes much better than foreign coaches can,” he added.
Like Namibia, Trinidad and Tobago has a small players' base, but they have excelled at hockey in the Pan American region, while the men's team has qualified for the Indoor World Cup twice, finishing tenth at the most recent one in Berlin earlier this month.
Davis, however, believes that his country, and Namibia as well, who came tenth in the Women's World Cup, need to become more consistent at the highest level.
“I think our performance was good but it wasn't great. Regarding Namibia, it's no doubt a high accolade to win your continental championships and qualify for the World Cup, but they need to improve their consistency. They had a great chance to make the quarterfinals and should have closed their game out against Russia, but inconsistency is the general deficiency of developing nations,” he said.
Davis, who will be staying in Namibia until May, said he planned to conduct several development clinics during his stay.
“I'm planning to conduct a High Performance players' clinic and a High Performance coaching course, and I've also offered to do coaching seminars for high school coaches. I'll also do courses in Swakopmund at the coast and in Keetmanshoop in the south,” he said.
The Namibian
Guy Robertson appointed IST Lead for Men’s National Program
Field Hockey Canada is excited to announce the appointment of Guy Robertson as the Integrated Support Team (IST) Lead for the Men’s National Program. Robertson, a physiotherapist by trade, will be responsible for leading and managing all Men’s National Program support staff and volunteers.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame’s (Fremantle, Australia) Physiotherapy program, Robertson has a background working with elite athletes. He joined Field Hockey Canada as a physiotherapist in 2017. Prior to moving to Canada, his most recent experience was working as a physiotherapist for the Australian Men’s National Hockey Team.
As IST Lead for the Canadian Men’s National Program, his managerial umbrella includes all non-athletes and coaches such as strength and conditioning staff, nutritionists and medical personnel among other support staff. Robertson will also maintain his position as lead physiotherapist for the Men’s National Team.
Men’s National Team Head Coach, Paul Bundy, said Robertson fits the job well has full confidence in his ability to tackle the roles. He emphasized how important it is to have someone in the program with a background in elite sports and sports medicine.
“I think it’s especially important in a system like ours where we are growing so quickly. It’s important to have someone who could coordinate all those people in one aligned vision,” Bundy said.
Further, Bundy said that when he arrived from Australia, Robertson naturally formed a great rapport with the athletes and staff at Field Hockey Canada.
“He also really fits our culture. He relates with the guys really well and has a really good rapport with them,” Bundy said. “He spends a lot of time with the guys and has gotten to get to know them well. He’s a self-starter and will go out and do what needs to be done without being micro managed.”
Robertson has been a physiotherapist for the Men’s National Team for the better part of a year. On top of treating players, he has also been working on a method of monitoring their work load day-in-day-out to prevent injuries and maximize training benefit. According to Robertson, his primary goal is to help build a sustainable IST system that has lasting power.
“I want to set up a system and an environment where the players have the best opportunity to achieve sustained success,” he said. “It’s important to set up a sustainable team where any single person could leave, and the program doesn’t fall apart.”
A native of Perth, Australia, Robertson initially moved to Vancouver last year with the goal of being a tourist and exploring Canada. He had only anticipated working enough to support his trip. However, according to Robertson, once he got involved with Field Hockey Canada, he knew his goal had changed.
“Once I met the guys and went away on my first tour, I knew I wanted to be a part of this program. I realized what an incredible group of athletes they are,” he said. “I am determined to make sure that they are supported to the best of our ability as an IST team moving forward.”
Field Hockey Canada media release