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All the news for Tuesday 6 March 2018

27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (M) - Upcoming 6 March 2018
Ipoh (MAS)

16:00     ENG - IRL
18:00     IND - AUS
20:30     MAS - ARG

Pool Standings

FIH Match Centre

On guard over Peillat

By Kng Zheng Guan


Stop him at all costs: Gonzalo Peillat (right) is on a roll in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament after scoring two hattricks in Argentina’s first two matches.

PETALING JAYA: Stop Gonzalo Peillat!

And to do that, national head coach Stephen Van Huizen has made it clear that Malaysia can’t afford to give away cheap penalty corners when they take on Argentina in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup men’s hockey tournament today.

The 25-year-old penalty corner specialist is on a roll in the tournament after scoring two hattricks in Argentina’s first two matches.

He hit three from penalty corners to help his team beat India 3-2 and was also decisive from the set-play as the Olympic champions came back from two goals down to beat Ireland 5-3 on Sunday.

In contrast, world No. 12 Malaysia were given a reality check after falling to a 3-1 defeat to world champions Australia on Sunday.

They started the tournament by beating Ireland 4-1.

Stephen said they would be ready for the Argentina challenge.

“I respect them, especially their penalty corner department but I also want my team to remain calm and don’t give away too many penalty because in Peillat, they have the ability to score,” said Stephen.

“Argentina have all their main players here. They have depth and showed it by coming back from two goals down against Ireland.

“We also need to work hard as a group. The Argentines are experienced and skilful.

“We need tight marking as a group, especially around the defensive zone.

Stephen believes there are positives despite the loss to Australia.

“We’re the lowest ranked team in the tournament, so every match we play is tough,” said Stephen.

“To lose 3-1 to Australia isnot too bad. My players showed good fighting spirit and worked hard on the field.

“There’s still room for improvement and we’ll try to play better.”

Malaysia, currently third in the six-team table with three points, are facing some injury worries of their own.

They are likely to miss the services of midfielder Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi who picked up an ankle injury against Ireland while forward Faiz Jali is struggling with a knee injury.

The Star of Malaysia

Winless India face in-form Australia

IPOH: Winless so far, India face an uphill task as they take on in-form world champions Australia in a crucial match of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament on Tuesday.

After one loss and a draw, India are currently placed fourth in the six-team tournament with just one point. Australia, on the other hand, are positioned atop the table with two wins from as many games.

India cannot afford another loss if they wish to stay afloat in the tournament.

But it would be easier said than done as Australia have fielded a strong squad and are in red-hot form while the Indians have come here with an inexperienced team under the leadership of Sardar Singh.

While India lost 2-3 and drew 1-1 against Olympic champions Argentina and England in their first two games respectively, Australia defeated England 4-1 before getting the better of hosts Malaysia 3-1.

The Indians looked lacklustre in the opening two games and wasted numerous chances, including as many as nine penalty corners against England in their second game.

But if Sjoerd Marijne's team wants to upstage the Kookaburras, it cannot afford to miss scoring chances, especially against an opponent as attacking as Australia.

Skipper Sardar has to lift his game significantly and inspire the youngsters in the absence of his regular teammates.

For Sardar, it is a make or break tournament. He has to deliver to be in fray for important tournaments lined-up later this year as an ordinary outing can draw curtains on his international career, especially with the team management preferring youngsters.

With the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games a month away, it would be one last time for the Indian players, including Sardar to impress upon the national selectors.

A favourable result against Australia would definitely brighten India's chances as they play hosts Malaysia (on March 7) and minnows Ireland (March 9) in their last two round-robin fixtures.

In other matches of the day, England will play neighbours Ireland while Argentina will square off against the home team.

The Times of India

Charter’s Amazing Journey From ‘Unco Kid’ To International Star

Ben Somerford



“I never played hockey thinking I was going to be a superstar or an Australian player,” Kookaburras goalkeeper Andrew Charter reflects. “I wasn’t one of those kids. I got into hockey by chance.”

The 30-year-old from Canberra has had an amazing journey, from being ostracised for being an uncoordinated 11-year-old to almost giving the game away three times, including coming remarkably close to turning his back on hockey to become an Air Force Pilot for the Australian Defence.

The progress of an elite athlete is seldom linear, particularly for a goalkeeper where opportunities are limited. But Charter didn’t start off as a goalkeeper, in fact, he didn’t start off in hockey, nor did he ever seem a future international sports athlete as a child.

“As a kid I was a fair way behind the curve in terms of physical and coordination development to the point that I needed occupational therapy to help try catch me up,” Charter recalls.

Click here to purchase Hockey tickets at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

“As part of that, my parents threw me into every sport I wanted to play, even though I was terrible at them all.

“It was a bit challenging. I have a few distinct memories from when I was a kid being insulted and called a ‘retard’ by everyone who was substantially ahead of me. I have memories of being told to skip around the basketball court for warm-up and not having the coordination to do it.”

He tried his luck with soccer, baseball and basketball, before quite literally stumbling across hockey when the Under-13’s boys’ side his sister Deanne was coaching needed an extra player.

“It was a pretty tough pathway when I was really young,” he says. “I got into hockey purely by chance. My sisters’ team didn’t have enough players and they asked me if I wanted to play. I picked up a stick, ran around, I wasn’t very good but I persisted with it.

“I persisted because there was no prejudice. It was a nice environment of people to play with. I ended up playing it mainly because the kids I was playing with were a great bunch of guys who were inclusive, even though I was quite uncoordinated.

“That was when I starting to catch up.”



Charter started off as an outfield player but quickly took a liking to the role of goalkeeper, initially due to being able to wear the “pretty cool foam gear”. Between the goal is where he excelled, emerging at under-age representative level for ACT, before his big moment when he got a call-up for the Australian Under-16 Schoolboys.

“I got into the Aussie stuff by chance at the younger age groups,” he says. “I guess that’s where I thought this may be bigger than what I thought originally. Along the pathway I had numerous times where I thought about throwing it in. People around me supported me and kept me going.”

Some of Charter’s key influences keeping him on the hockey path have been Terry Evans, Ben Bishop and his mother Yvonne, who he says has watched almost 80 per cent of his international games.

Having overcome his adolescent issues, there were many more challenges to come.

“There were probably three points in my career where I thought I was done and I thought I’d change to focus on my professional career,” Charter says. “They were all different.”

Firstly in 2009, having graduated from the Australian Junior teams, Charter weighed up whether to pack up life in ACT – where he couldn’t get a game for Canberra in the Australian Hockey League (AHL) due to the presence of Kookaburras keeper Nathan Burgers – to chase his hockey dream in Perth.

“I was in this limbo where I couldn’t play AHL, I wasn’t in front of the selectors, there was a new coaching group, I thought ‘what do I do?’,” he says.

“I didn’t see any viable options to make the next step. I had big conversations with Bish about what do I do. I was part way through my studies, so Perth wasn’t really an option. I thought maybe it’s too hard. I can finish my degree and make money.

“Everyone of us has that at some point in our career.

“He encouraged me to look back at why I was playing hockey and if I really wanted to pack it all up and walk away from it. I decided I’d throw it all on the line.”



Despite being two-and-a-half years through his degree – and losing a year-and-a-half’s credit – Charter packed up life in Canberra and made the switch to Perth in 2009. It wasn’t easy.

“I moved into a crappy house in St James where I found a mate who could give me a room for $80 a week in a place that had rats and cockroaches through it,” he recalls. “I lived it rough for two years.”

Early on after the move, Charter spent plenty of time training with the National Squad under coach Ric Charlesworth following injuries to the first-choice Kookaburras goalkeepers. “I thought ‘this is really good, I’m going to get my chance’,” he recalls.

However, the opportunities and invitations dried up in 2010 with the goalkeepers returning to fitness. To make matter worse, two goalkeepers got added to the Development Squad, leaving Charter scratching his head about his prospects.

“I was sitting there thinking ‘I’m not getting invited down anymore, they’ve added guys to the Development Squad, what message does that say?’,” he says.

Another conversation with Bishop provided the perspective he needed. “He said if they’re increasing their numbers of goalkeepers in the Development Squad it’s because they’re not happy with what’s in the National Squad at the moment. It’s not necessarily a reflection on you. It says they’re getting ready for a transition.

“I remember during that period being conflicted on what to do I’d put two years of my life getting to here and it felt like it was falling apart around me. It was all perception and the conversations with Bish pulled me back to it.”

Twelve months later, Charter almost gave it up again in 2011, with the lure of flying jets for the Australian Defence Force.

“I went through all the aptitude testing and all the interviews, passed it all except the final interview,” he recalls.

“I was sitting down with the guy who said ‘if I wanted to be an army or navy pilot, they’d send me next week’. But I wanted to be in the air force and fly jets. They didn’t think I knew enough about the day-to-day life of a pilot. I was offered another interview in two months’ time.

“I walked out of that interview and three days later Ric gave me a call and said I was going to Azlan Shah and debuting for the Kookaburras. I never went back for the second interview and have been playing for the Kookaburras ever since.”



That was almost seven years ago, dating back to his international debut in May 2011. This week, Charter will line up again at the Azlan Shah Cup with the Kookaburras as he nears his 150th cap.

The seven years within the Kookaburras haven’t always been smooth, admitting every two years he re-evaluates his motivation. There’s been highs like the 2014 World Cup triumph and lows such as the disappointment of the 2016 Rio Olympics. On a personal level, though, he’s firmly entrenched in the set-up now ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

“A home Commonwealth Games is as big as it can get without it being an Olympics,” Charter says.

“The opportunity to play that would be unbelievable. It’s something a lot of us have been pushing for, for a long time.”

Charter has been pushing the proverbial uphill longer than most with his journey a tale of endurance and while he’s not there yet, with both Tyler Lovell and Tristan Clemons, ensuring there’s strong competition for the two keepers spots for the Commonwealth Games, he’s close and his story has a strong message.

“If kids are not naturally talented when they’re 10, 11 or 12-years-old they feel they can’t do it,” Charter says.

“It’s not about how good you are when you’re 12. It’s about how you dedicate towards it. We write kids off too early.”

Hockey Australia media release

2018 Test Matches: KOR v IND (W) - 2nd Test
Seoul (KOR)

KOR - IND 2 - 3

FIH Match Centre

Swati stands tall as India edge South Korea

New Delhi: India’s women’s hockey team defeated South Korea 1-0 in their opening match of a five-game series in Seoul, on Monday.

India scored early through Lalremsiami (5th minute) at the Jinchun National Athletic Center and then defended stoutly to hold on to the lead for a morale-boosting win.

India appeared positive from the word go and were rewarded for their intent when Lalremsiami found the back of the net past goalkeeper Han Mijin.

In the second quarter, they were rewarded with a penalty corner in the 18th minute, but Han came to her side’s rescue. In the 23rd minute, India conceded a penalty corner but debutant goalkeeper Swati made a fine save.

It was a crucial phase in the match as world no. 9 South Korea were constantly looking for an opening but the Indian defence stood tall.

The 24-year-old Indian goalkeeper saved two penalty corners in the final quarter and then kept out a penalty stroke in the 50th minute to deny the hosts.

The Asian Age

Indian girls start on a winning note

s2h team

Indian girls led by Rani Rampal have started their long drawn 5-match Test series against South Korea on a winning note. Youngster Lalremsami's fifth minute goal was all that required for Indian girls to walk away with a morale boosting victory today in South Korea.

South Korea is a super power in Asia if not on a global scale. India for instant lost to them in the crucial semifinals of the last Asian Games.

Indian team under the new coach Harendra Singh is showing vast improvement in its approach to the game, and the results are there to show. It is worthwhile to note here that Indian girls defeated their gifted rivals in the Kakakimahara Asia Cup a few months ago.

Hockey India press release adds: In the fourth quarter, India's goalkeeper Swati playing in her debut match made some important saves to keep India's 1-0 lead intact. The 24-year-old Indian goalkeeper saved two PCs in the opening six minutes of the fourth quarter and became a decisive factor in her team's 1-0 win when she saved a Penalty Stroke in the 50th minute to deny the hosts a way back into the match. The final few minutes were all about India keeping their defensive shape, and going for a second goal which would guarantee them the victory. The visitors were awarded two more PCs in the last few minutes but their efforts were kept out by a well-organised South Korean defense. A brilliant all-round performance from the Indian team made sure that they started their campaign with a strong 1-0 win.

Stick2Hockey.com

Indian women's hockey team opens Korea tour with 1-0 win over hosts

NEW DELHI: The Asian champions Indian women’s hockey team opened its tour of South Korea by beating the hosts 1-0 on Monday, with Lalremsiami scoring the definitive goal of the match. It proved a happy occasion for the veteran skipper Rani Rampal, who was playing her 200th international match.

India opened their account in the fifth minute when Lalremsiami found the back of the net. The early lead was maintained through some excellent field work, which ensured that the Koreans were held at bay. India’s forward line also found it hard to score again, but the excellent work from Lalremsiami and goalkeeper Savita Punia - who last week was voted the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) Hockey Player of the Year - proved the difference in this hard-fought match.

Four matches remain on tour for the team coached by Harendra Singh.

India are at tenth and South Korea ninth in the FIH World Rankings. Last year, Rampal’s team won the Asia Cup by beating higher-ranked China the in the final, 5-4 in the penalty shootouts. In the process, it qualified for the 2018 World Cup.

The Times of India

Brooke Roberts promoted to National Squad


Photo: worldsportpics.com

North Harbour goalkeeper Brooke Roberts has been promoted to the Vantage Black Sticks Women’s National Squad.

Roberts, 22, was part of the Vantage Black Sticks team which recently played five tests against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

The move sees her promoted from the Development Squad to become the 25th and final member of the 2018 Women’s National Squad.

CLICK HERE to see the full 2018 Women’s National Squad

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Roo Insight - Bates: What Defines A Hockeyroo?

By Kristina Bates



We are often asked, “What defines you?” But a definition excludes the possibility of change. Today I’m a Hockeyroo, a student, a casual worker, and a friend…. Tomorrow I could be anything. We are changing every single day, from our clothes to our moods, our interests, strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about finding a balance of each of the different parts of our lives.

As Hockeyroos, we are often put into a neat little box labeled, “ATHLETE”. Many think that is all we are. But every member of our squad is so much more than just a Hockeyroo built to produce gold medals.

It’s easy to fall into the hockey bubble and get wrapped up in living and breathing hockey 24/7, but that doesn’t make for a well-rounded and balanced person. Having other interests outside of that bubble is so important to forming a happy and healthy athlete. Whether it is study, work or finding a hobby, becoming invested in something completely separate from our daily training environment is what keeps us coming back every year for more.

As athletes, we naturally want to be the best at everything we do, regardless if that is performance on the hockey field, in the classroom or in the workplace, so getting that balance right can be quite challenging at times. With the majority of us living on the other side of the country from our homes and support systems, this can be an even harder feat.



The buzzword ‘work-life balance’ gets thrown around a lot. And the truth is, we spend A LOT of our time training, travelling to and from sessions, recovering, eating the right foods, trying to sleep well, and thinking about hockey and how we can be better athletes day in and day out.

We are up at 6am most mornings to start the day with a heavy skills session and conditioning with some of us rushing off to get to work by 10am, only to be back in the gym by 4pm. We are on the pitch 15 hours a week, in the gym 4 hours, in meetings for 3, and on top that, doing our own recovery and scouting research. Some weeks are so exhausting; I spend the whole weekend on the couch elbow deep in popcorn with Netflix on repeat.

But ultimately, we make these sacrifices or as I like to call them, choices, in pursuit of elite performance in the hope that it eventually brings the ultimate prize of Olympic glory.

Hockey Australia have worked hard to provide their athletes with the best opportunity to gain a sense of balance in their lives with training sessions conducted mostly outside of working hours so that we can set and achieve goals away from hockey.

We have girls in the team running their own businesses, saving lives, building houses, studying, making coffees, flipping burgers and everything in between. Hockey is what we do, not who we are. We are daughters, sisters, friends, partners, and some of us even mothers. We all need time to get away from thinking about hockey 24/7.



We are all 100% dedicated to representing our country to the best of our ability, and to do so requires work life balance. Without that mental break from such an intense and competitive environment, most of us would have gone mad.

However, one of the greatest things about being a part of a team sport is that we get to celebrate our individual ‘wins’ on and off the pitch as a group. Each morning before training, we huddle arm in arm and share any personal highlights from the day. It can be as simple as, “I submitted my Uni assignment today”, or “I got a promotion at work”, or “I finished watching the thirteenth season of Grey’s Anatomy last night”. Wins, big or small, we celebrate them as a team. We don’t just play hockey for the rewards and recognition, but for the camaraderie and friendships made along the way.

Those diverse comments from the morning huddle prove there's more to every single Hockeyroo than simply being defined as an athlete, even though we share that ultimate goal of Olympic glory.

Hockey Australia media release

Chris Ciriello roped in as analytical coach by Hockey India

While HI and Sports Authority of India (SAI) are yet to make an official announcement on Ciriello's appointment, sources told Zee Media that the Australian is already in Bengaluru working with the senior players rested for the ongoing Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.


Chris Ciriello (Photo: Twitter)

New Delhi: Hockey India (HI) have secured the services of Australia's former ace dragflicker Chris Ciriello, who recently announced his retirement from the game, as the analytical coach for the men's national team.

While HI and Sports Authority of India (SAI) are yet to make an official announcement on Ciriello's appointment, sources told Zee Media that the Australian is already in Bengaluru working with the senior players rested for the ongoing Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

Apparently, the Aussie also attended the marriage reception of Indian striker SV Sunil in Mangalore on Sunday.

Ciriello, 32, has been hired until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and will replace Hans Streeder who was part of the Roelant Oltmans-led coaching set-up. Streeder quit shortly after Oltmans was fired by HI last year.

Besides fixing chinks in the Indian defence, Ciriello will closely work with India's dragflickers - a job that was until now in the hands of Jugraj Singh. It's unclear if Jugraj will remain part of Marijne's coaching staff or not.

Ciriello, who is a World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Champions Trophy gold medallist, decided to quit the game in November last year.

He also won a bronze medal for Australia at the 2012 London Olympics.

Zee News

Wan Roslan: No clear favourites in JHL this season

By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Thunderbolts believe there are no clear favourites in Division One of the Junior Hockey League (JHL) which begins Wednesday.

Last season, SSTMI Thunderbolts won the Overall title when they beat Pahang Sports School Thunderbolts 4-3 in shoot-out after both sides drew 2-2 during regulation time.

The League title was won my Petaling Jaya City Council Tigers on 23 points, while SSTMI Thunderbolts were second on 21 points.

SSTMI Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman said: "The early indications are that any one of the four Thunderbolts have a chance to win titles this season. It's a level playing field."

The other Thunderbolts are Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and Anderson School of Ipoh.

Thunderbolts is a project run and funded by Tenaga Nasonal, and last season all four were the semi-finalists in the Overall title chase.

"People are saying with UniKL (Universiti Kuala Lumpur) not fielding a team in the JHL this season, SSTMI are going to have an easy time. But I beg to differ, as the three other Thunderbolts and even our first opponents this season (SMK Datuk Bentara Luar) have a good team.

"Bentara Luar held us to a 1-1 draw last season, and we only beat them 4-2 in shoot-out," said Wan Roslan.

(Note: Drawn matches in League were decided with a shoot-out last season).

SSTMI will play Bentara Luar, sponsored and managed by UniKL, at Batu Pahat.

"We will be playing Datuk Bentara at their own den, and I expect it to be another tough match, just like last season," said Wan Roslan.

Datuk Bentara and SSTMI both have their own artificial pitches and sponsors.

WEDNESDAY: PJCC Tigers v SSTMI (PJ Stadium, 5pm), Datuk Bentara-UniKL v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Batu Pahat, 5pm), BJSS Thunderbolts v Olak (KLHA Stadium, 5pm).

FRIDAY: Pahang SS Thunderbolts v PJCC Tigers (Kuantan, 5pm), SSTMI v SSTMI Thunderbolts (SSTMI, 5pm).

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

Ace Indian Hockey player SV Sunil gets married in Mangaluru

The wedding reception will be held in Madikeri and members of the Indian hockey team are expected to take part in the event.


Image courtesy: sreejesh p r/Twitter

Indian hockey team forward Somwarpet Vittalacharya Sunil, better known as SV Sunil, got married in Mangaluru on Sunday.

The bride Nisha hails from Derebail Konchady, and the marriage took place at Kudroli temple.

Star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh posted a photo of the newly married couple, while congratulating them.

Sunil, a resident of Somawarpet in Kodagu district, got engaged to Nisha a couple of months ago.

According to reports, the wedding reception will be held in Madikeri and members of the Indian hockey team are expected to take part in the event.

SV Sunil was born on May 6, 1989 in Coorg district of Karnataka. In his growing up years, he used a bamboo stick to play the game as he came from a humble background.

He made his international debut at the Asia Cup in Chennai in 2007, a tournament which India won incidentally. He was then part of the silver-winning team at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup the following year. More recently, he was part of two historic triumphs – a bronze at the World Hockey League in 2015 and a silver at the Champions Trophy in 2016.

"Coming from a poor family in Coorg, hockey has given me everything I need to lead a comfortable life. And when I play, I remember what the game has given me for the sacrifices I have made and I will do everything to bring glory for the country," Sunil had earlier told Followyoursport.com.

In 2016, Sunil was named the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Player of the Year. He was conferred the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2017 by the President of India.

"It is every sportsperson's dream to receive this award. I feel lucky. Personally, it means a lot to me. It is a huge boost and motivation for me and others players. When you get such awards, it's a recognition of the hard work that each player puts in," he had said.

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