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All the news for Saturday 12 January 2019

2019 Indoor Test Matches SUI v RSA (W) - 2nd & 3rd Tests
Various (SUI)

Results 11 January

SUI v RSA     2 - 3 (1 - 2)
SUI v RSA     3 - 3 (2 - 2)

FIH Match Centre

SPAR South Africa stun hosts Switzerland in opening test match



SPAR South Africa arrived in Switzerland on the back of an unbeaten 25 match test run. Of course, it has been a tough journey for the team after missing out on the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. They can only be credited for their response, working hard and focusing on building towards future goals.

This tour to Switzerland and Czech Republic would be SPAR South Africa’s biggest test so far. A year ago, at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, Switzerland produced an outstanding display to finish 5th. The highlight of their run was a brilliant victory against Poland, who were ranked 4th at the time. The run also saw Switzerland reach an all-time high ranking of 7th in the World. To top it off South Africa had never beaten a top 10 ranked country outside of South Africa and never beaten a team ranked higher than 8th in the World. It was set to be a titanic tussle.

Switzerland featured four of the Indoor World Cup team in the opening game against a South African side seeing Andrea Leader earn her first cap and Cindy Hack her 73rd. It was South Africa who struck first through a penalty corner from Jessica O’Connor in the 12th minute. A hallmark of Lennie Botha’s side has been their ability to hit two quick goals back-to-back. This characteristic took centre stage once again when Jess Lardant made it 2-0 in the 13th from another penalty corner.

Cindy Hack, playing arguably the best hockey of her career, and leading from the front converted a goal from open play to give South Africa a 3-goal lead at the break. If the hosts were expecting the South Africans to back off they were in for a surprise as the South Africans burst forward and extended the lead through Hack once again finishing off a team move to make it 4-0.

Switzerland then gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Carina Zimmerman, playing in her third test match, pulled a goal back for the hosts. But any hope of a fight back was doused by a stellar defensive performance by the South Africans and crowned by Jess O’Connor, who opened the scoring, netting the game’s final goal in the 36th minute.

Cindy Hack said after the game:

“It was a superb effort from my team. We really executed the game plan well and kept up our concentration in the key moments.”

The result gave SPAR South Africa a fantastic 1-0 lead in the five-match series and will give the team great hope on securing a series victory, which would have been a hopeful goal before the tour got underway.

SA Hockey Association media release

Mark Hager Appointed GB & England Women's Head Coach


Mark Hager

England Hockey is delighted to confirm the appointment of Mark Hager as the new Head Coach of the Great Britain and England women’s hockey teams.

Mark comes to Bisham Abbey with a wealth of experience in international hockey, both as a coach and player. As coach of New Zealand’s international women’s team for almost a decade, he has taken them as high as fourth in the FIH world rankings, won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and finished fourth at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 – the team’s best ever finishes at Olympic Games.

Other coaching achievements include winning the Hockey India League with Kalinga Lancers in 2017, assisting Australia’s men to an Olympic bronze in Beijing, and also assisting Australia’s women to Champions Trophy gold in 2003.

As a player, he was captain of the Australia team that won Olympic bronze in Atlanta in 1996, having won the World Cup with his nation ten years earlier in London. He is an inductee to the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame and won their national league three times, two of them as captain of Perth Thundersticks.

GB and England Hockey Performance Director Ed Barney said, “We are delighted that Mark is joining us. He was the outstanding candidate, a world class coach who will bring leadership skills and specific on-pitch strengths which will aid the women’s programme in their quest for future medals. With his arrival we are certain we will see the evolution of an exciting and dynamic brand of hockey over the coming months and years.

“This is a key appointment for us, which is why we have dedicated a large amount of time to the recruitment process. We have involved a number of people throughout the hockey world and were left with no doubt about Mark’s personal attributes, the quality of his work and that he was the ideal Head Coach for our programme.

“2019 is an exciting year for Mark, our staff and athletes, with the new FIH Pro League, Olympic qualification and the EuroHockey Championships. We are certain Mark will hit the ground running, thrive amongst the squad and lead the programme to exciting and memorable places.

”Last but not least, I would like to place on record our sincere thanks to David Ralph for leading the team over the past few months. David has played an exceptional role and will be a vital part of the coaching staff moving forward.”

Mark commented, “I am very excited to be appointed Head Coach of the Great Britain and England women’s teams. To be given the responsibility to lead a squad that has been very successful on the world stage is something I do not take lightly. The role as Head Coach is a terrific opportunity and I can’t thank Great Britain and England Hockey enough for entrusting me to lead their programme moving forward.

"I look forward to the challenge of building on the foundations of the programme and I believe that my international coaching experiences with Australia and New Zealand over the past 18 years will help me lead the squad into this new exciting phase. There is a wealth of talent in the squad, which I have enjoyed coaching against over a number of years and I look forward to now being a part of a world class team of players and staff.”

Mark is scheduled to meet up with the Great Britain women’s squad for the first time when they play their opening FIH Pro League games in February, away to New Zealand, Australia and then China.

The women’s FIH Pro League runs from February until June 2019, leading up to Olympic qualifiers in the autumn. In between, England take part in the EuroHockey Championships in Belgium, making 2019 a key year for the sport.

Great Britain Hockey media release

Mark Hager Appointed Coach of Great Britain Women



Mark Hager has today resigned as Black Sticks Women’s Head Coach to take up a role as head coach of the Great Britain and England women’s teams.

Hager, who has led the Black Sticks through their most successful period during his 10 years at the helm, will start his new role immediately. Black Sticks Assistant Coach Sean Dancer will become Acting Head Coach and will continue to prepare the team for the FIH Pro League which starts in just over two weeks.

Hockey New Zealand Chief Executive Ian Francis says Hager has been an outstanding coach who has taken the performance of the Black Sticks women’s team to unprecedented levels of success.

“When Mark took the reins in 2009 we were well and truly outside the world’s top 10 countries.  Since then he has taken this team to two Olympic fourths, two World League finals, a Champions Trophy bronze, and a medal of every colour at the Commonwealth Games. We have been ranked as high as third in the world and have never been outside the top six. These are by far the best results in the history of our women’s game.”

With the team environment currently the subject of an independent review, Hockey NZ Acting Board Chair Shane Collins emphasised that Hager was leaving on his own terms. 

“We are extremely disappointed to lose one of the world’s top coaches. Mark and his coaching staff have continued to have the support of the Board and management and we wish him well in his next endeavour. His legacy will take some matching,” says Collins.

Hager, a former Australian international, says it is sad to leave a team that he regards as his whanau.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach the Black Sticks for a decade and even more fortunate to have two world-class players in Kayla Sharland and Stacey Michelsen as my captains to help us achieve goals that were firsts for this team.”

He had been especially looking forward to leading the group through to the Tokyo Olympics.

“The team has the potential to succeed in Tokyo and I wish them well. I have been torn over the last six months, firstly whether to apply for the England/Great Britain role and then whether to accept it. But given its profile as one of the pinnacle coaching roles in world hockey I have come to realise it is in my best interests and those of the Black Sticks to accept this opportunity and for someone else to lead this talented group of athletes through to Tokyo,” says Hager.

“Ultimately, the opportunity to coach England/Great Britain is one that excites me with the quality of the teams, the wealth of competition on their doorstep in Europe and the resources available.”

Hager says he has taken on board some feedback during the review period about his coaching style but will retain the essence of what has worked so successfully over the last decade in taking and keeping the team in the world’s top five.

Black Sticks captain Stacey Michelsen says Hager has a huge passion for the team.

“Mark has been an integral part of allowing this team to grow to our highest ranking of third in the world. Personally he has provided me with the environment and the guidance to develop into the player I am today, and I am very grateful for that”, says Michelsen.

“I am very sad to see Mark go but I do understand his decision and wish him all the best in his new role.”

Hager wished to thank Ramesh Patel and Graham Child for giving him the opportunity as well as all the Hockey NZ staff and the members of the Black Sticks management team for their collegial support. He also wanted to acknowledge High Performance Sport New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee, as well as Sir Owen Glenn for his ongoing belief in the team.

“I’d particularly like to thank my wife Michelle and children Shannon, Teegan and Keely for uprooting their lives in Australia to make Aotearoa their new home.”

The Hockey NZ Board this week received a copy of the independent review of the Blacks Sticks Women’s team environment undertaken by employment lawyer Maria Dew. Collins says the Board is currently working through the review’s recommendations and is accordingly developing key actions which will be shared with management and the NZ Hockey Players’ Association. 

Once finalised Hockey NZ will release a summary of the review and the corresponding action plan. This is expected to occur later this month.

To watch the full interview click here

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Mark Hager quits Black Sticks to coach Great Britain


Mark Hager. Photo / Doug Sherring.

Mark Hager has resigned as Black Sticks women's head coach and will take up a role as head coach of the Great Britain and England women's teams.

Hager, who has led the Black Sticks through their most successful period during his 10 years at the helm, will start his new role immediately. Black Sticks Assistant Coach Sean Dancer will become Acting Head Coach and will continue to prepare the team for the FIH Pro League which starts in just over two weeks.

With the team environment currently the subject of an independent review, Hockey NZ Acting Board Chair Shane Collins emphasised that Hager was leaving on his own terms.

"We are extremely disappointed to lose one of the world's top coaches. Mark and his coaching staff have continued to have the support of the Board and management and we wish him well in his next endeavour. His legacy will take some matching," says Collins.

The review was launched in September, after allegations of a negative team environment emerged.

Hager, a former Australian international, accidentally sent an email to the entire team, naming and shaming individual players for their performance and effort, after finishing 11th at the women's World Cup.

Three months earlier, they had won gold at the Commonwealth Games. The findings are expected later this month.

Hockey New Zealand Chief Executive Ian Francis says Hager has been an outstanding coach who has taken the performance of the Black Sticks women's team to unprecedented levels of success.

"When Mark took the reins in 2009 we were well and truly outside the world's top 10 countries. Since then he has taken this team to two Olympic fourths, two World League finals, a Champions Trophy bronze, and a medal of every colour at the Commonwealth Games. We have been ranked as high as third in the world and have never been outside the top six. These are by far the best results in the history of our women's game."

Hager, a former Australian international, says it is sad to leave a team that he regards as his whanau.

"I've been fortunate to coach the Black Sticks for a decade and even more fortunate to have two world-class players in Kayla Sharland and Stacey Michelsen as my captains to help us achieve goals that were firsts for this team."

He had been especially looking forward to leading the group through to the Tokyo Olympics.

"The team has the potential to succeed in Tokyo and I wish them well. I have been torn over the last six months, firstly whether to apply for the England/Great Britain role and then whether to accept it. But given its profile as one of the pinnacle coaching roles in world hockey I have come to realise it is in my best interests and those of the Black Sticks to accept this opportunity and for someone else to lead this talented group of athletes through to Tokyo," says Hager.

"Ultimately, the opportunity to coach England/Great Britain is one that excites me with the quality of the teams, the wealth of competition on their doorstep in Europe and the resources available."

Hager says he has taken on board some feedback during the review period about his coaching style but will retain the essence of what has worked so successfully over the last decade in taking and keeping the team in the world's top five.

Black Sticks captain Stacey Michelsen says Hager has a huge passion for the team.

"Mark has been an integral part of allowing this team to grow to our highest ranking of third in the world. Personally he has provided me with the environment and the guidance to develop into the player I am today, and I am very grateful for that", says Michelsen.

"I am very sad to see Mark go but I do understand his decision and wish him all the best in his new role."

The Hockey NZ Board this week received a copy of the independent review of the Blacks Sticks Women's team environment undertaken by employment lawyer Maria Dew. Collins says the Board is currently working through the review's recommendations and is accordingly developing key actions which will be shared with management and the NZ Hockey Players' Association.

Once finalised Hockey NZ will release a summary of the review and the corresponding action plan. This is expected to occur later this month.

The New Zealand Herald

Mark Hager quits Black Sticks to coach Great Britain and England women's teams

Ian Anderson


Mark Hager has stepped down as Black Sticks women's hockey coach. GETTY IMAGES

Mark Hager has resigned as Black Sticks women's head coach and will take up a role as head coach of the Great Britain and England women's teams.

Hager, who has led the Black Sticks to gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, will start his new role immediately. New Zealand assistant coach Sean Dancer will become acting head coach as the team prepares for the FIH Pro League which starts in just over two weeks.

Hager's departure came during a review into the environment inside the women's team.

The review was launched in September after it emerged that in August Hager mistakenly sent an email bagging players to the entire team. The email was sent during the team's Hockey World Cup campaign and was meant for team management only.

The findings from the review were expected to be released in November, but now won't be announced until the end of this month.

Hockey New Zealand acting board chair Shane Collins emphasised that Hager was leaving on his own terms. 

"We are extremely disappointed to lose one of the world's top coaches. Mark and his coaching staff have continued to have the support of the Board and management and we wish him well in his next endeavour. His legacy will take some matching," says Collins.

The 54-year-old Australian had been the Black Sticks' coach for eight years and was contracted through to 2020.

The email Hager sent appeared to cause a split inside the team, with some players offended by it, but seven former Black Sticks women's players went public in support of the coach.


Hockey NZ acting board chair Shane Collins emphasised that Mark Hager was leaving on his own terms, despite a review into the team environment. GETTY IMAGES

Katie Glynn, Laura Douglas, Lucy Talbot, Anna Alexander (Thorpe), Bianca Russell, Emily Gaddum (Naylor) and Krystal Forgesson sent a letter backing Hager, rejecting allegations of a negative environment within the Black Sticks programme.

Hager, a former Australian international, said it is sad to leave a team that he regards as his whanau.

"I've been fortunate to coach the Black Sticks for a decade and even more fortunate to have two world-class players in Kayla Sharland and Stacey Michelsen as my captains to help us achieve goals that were firsts for this team."

He had been especially looking forward to leading the group through to the Tokyo Olympics.

"The team has the potential to succeed in Tokyo and I wish them well. I have been torn over the last six months, firstly whether to apply for the England/Great Britain role and then whether to accept it. But given its profile as one of the pinnacle coaching roles in world hockey I have come to realise it is in my best interests and those of the Black Sticks to accept this opportunity and for someone else to lead this talented group of athletes through to Tokyo," says Hager.

"Ultimately, the opportunity to coach England/Great Britain is one that excites me with the quality of the teams, the wealth of competition on their doorstep in Europe and the resources available."


The Black Sticks won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, beating England in the semifinal in a penalty shootout. GETTY IMAGES

​Hager said he has taken on board some feedback during the review period about his coaching style but will retain the essence of what has worked so successfully over the last decade in taking and keeping the team in the world's top five.

Hockey New Zealand chief executive Ian Francis said Hager has been an outstanding coach who has taken the performance of the Black Sticks women's team to unprecedented levels of success.

"When Mark took the reins in 2009 we were well and truly outside the world's top 10 countries.

"Since then he has taken this team to two Olympic fourths, two World League finals, a Champions Trophy bronze, and a medal of every colour at the Commonwealth Games. We have been ranked as high as third in the world and have never been outside the top six. These are by far the best results in the history of our women's game."



Mark Hager says he has taken on board some feedback during the review period about his coaching style but will retain the essence of what has worked over the last decade.

Stuff

Mark Hager's tough standards made Black Sticks believe, says Sam Charlton

Ian Anderson


Black Sticks women's coach Mark Hager set tough standards for his players during his tenure. STUFF

Sam Charlton says departing coach Mark Hager "demanded high standards" and that's what lifted the women's Black Sticks to unprecedented heights.

Hager has resigned as New Zealand women's head coach and will immediately take up a role as head coach of the Great Britain and England women's teams.

Hager, who led the Black Sticks to gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, departs before the release of a review into the environment inside the women's team.

"He was a coach who really demanded high standards and that's something that I think is really important in high performance sport," Black Sticks star Charlton said. "I don't think we would have got to where we were, had he not challenged and encouraged us the way he did."

Charlton said Hager's tough approach can require a balance for both coaches and players.

"But I also think that as players you have to be willing to be challenged and to raise your standards.

"I think that's a key feature of being a top athlete in high performance sport - I think we've had a pretty good balance of that.

"My experience of the environment was that it was definitely challenging at times but I had to be willing to be challenged to be the player I am today."

The review was launched in September after it emerged that in August Hager mistakenly sent an email bagging players to the entire team. The email was sent during the team's Hockey World Cup campaign and was meant for team management only.


Sam Charlton said Mark Hager enable the New Zealand side to believe they were a world-class team. GETTY IMAGES

The findings from the review were expected to be released in November, but now won't be announced until the end of this month.

The email Hager sent appeared to cause a split inside the team, with some players offended by it, but seven former Black Sticks women's players went public in support of the coach.

Hockey New Zealand acting board chair Shane Collins emphasised that Hager was leaving on his own terms. 


Mark Hager is leaving New Zealand to coach Great Britain and England's women's teams. GETTY IMAGES

Charlton said she was "hugely disappointed" by Hager's departure.

"I've been lucky enough to have been coached by Mark for nearly nine years now.

"He's someone who's been able to take us from about ninth in the world to when we were third at our best and fourth at the last two Olympic Games. So we're pretty disappointed to lose someone who's such a huge asset in hockey in New Zealand.

"The other thing I think was really important is that he actually made us believe that we could be a top-performing team. It's one thing to want to do that but he really made us think, yeah, we should be in those finals and those semifinals.


Sam Charlton: "I don't think we would have got to where we were, had he not challenged and encouraged us the way he did." GETTY IMAGES

"He was someone who achieved many many firsts - our first and only Champions Trophy medal, our highest performance at an Olympics and gold on the Gold Coast. Obviously we're still searching for that Olympic medal."

Charlton said she didn't know if the review played a factor in Hager's switch.

"But I think when you're given an opportunity to coach a high level team like Great Britain who are highly-resourced, a fulltime programme, I think it'd be pretty hard for any coach to turn that down."

It won't take long for Hager to reappear in New Zealand – the Black Sticks play GB in February in Christchurch in his first game in charge.   

Stuff

Eight Australian Officials Appointed For FIH Pro League

Ben Somerford



Eight Australians have been appointed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in the team of Officials who will be involved in the inaugural season of the FIH Pro League.

The FIH Pro League Umpire Panel, who will perform the on field and video umpire roles, consists of the current best 46 female and male umpires in the game of hockey globally.

Australian umpires Adam Kearns and Aleisha Neumann, technical officials Shayley McGurk-Davy, Joshua Burt, Tammy Standley and Adam Webster and umpire managers Minka Woolley and Don Prior have been appointed.

Umpires will be assessed throughout the FIH Pro League through a combination of live and “virtual” assessment - using the new FIH.Live digital platform that will cover all FIH Pro League matches.

The FIH is widely recognized as being a pioneer in sports in the use of video assistance for umpiring. The FIH Pro League video umpires will use Hawkeye video analysis technology, as part of a world leading video referral system, to adjudicate on decisions referred to them by on field umpires.

Furthermore, slow motion replays and alternative angles will be made available to host broadcasters to bring the skill, speed and excitement of world class hockey to life for the broadcast and digital viewer.

The team of Officials, who originate from all continents of the world, also includes umpire managers as well as technical officials.

Umpires, umpire managers and technical officials all come from the top FIH Officials panels. To be selected onto these panels, Officials are continually assessed and must achieve the highest standards of officiating.

They take part in ongoing training and development, and following each FIH event, the make up of all FIH panels is assessed and adjusted as necessary by the FIH Officials Committee.

For each FIH Pro League game, the team of Officials will consist of:

• 2 on field umpires
• 1 video umpire
• 1 umpire manager
• 1 match manager (technical official)
• 2 local judges appointed by the host National Association and approved by the FIH to act as technical officials

The very first edition of the FIH Pro League will kick-off on 19 January in Valencia, Spain, with the game Spain-Belgium (Men), while Australia’s first match is against the Netherlands in Melbourne on Saturday 2 February.

The full list of Officials for the FIH Pro League is available here.

Hockey Australia media release

EuroHockey Indoor Junior Championship (M) 2019 - Day 1
Vienna, Austria

Results 11 January

RUS v TUR (Pool B) 1 - 2 (0 - 1)
POL v ITA (Pool B)     3 - 1 (2 - 0)
SUI v BLR (Pool A)     3 - 2 (1 - 1)
AUT v CRO (Pool A) 5 - 3 (2 - 1)
ITA v TUR (Pool B)     3 - 2 (1 - 0)
RUS v POL (Pool B) 3 - 3 (2 - 3)
CRO v BLR (Pool A) 3 - 8 (2 - 2)
SUI v AUT (Pool A)     2 - 7 (0 - 4)

Pool standings

Pool A

 Pool B

EuroHockey Indoor Junior Championship II (M) 2019 - Day 1
Paredes, Portugal

Results 11 January

SWE v UKR (Pool A)     3 - 3 (1 - 0
SVK v CZE (Pool A)     3 - 4 (2 - 1)
WAL v DEN (Pool A)     6 - 6 (6 - 2)
POR v UKR (Pool A)     5 - 3 (3 - 2)
SVK v SWE (Pool A)     4 - 3 (2 - 2)
WAL v CZE (Pool A)     0 - 7 (0 - 5)
POR v DEN (Pool A)     9 - 4 (4 - 4)

Pool standings

FIH Match Centre

Things finally turn good for THT at Batu Buruk

By Jugjet Singh


The THT team celebrating their Charity Shield win today

TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) have finally broken their home ground jinx.

Their change of luck saw THT winning the Charity Shield with a 3-1 shootout triumph over Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) today.

The Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division curtain raiser, played at Stadium Batu Buruk in Kuala Terengganu, had ended at 2-2, after THT blew a 2-0 lead but they were sharper in the shootout.

Batu Buruk has been a Charity Shield “graveyard” for THT as they had lost all three Shields to Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) with scores of 2-1 in 2016, 2-2 (KLHC won shootout 6-5) in 2017 and 2-2 (KLHC won shootout 5-4) in 2018.

But Lady Luck favoured them yesterday.

Faizal Saari (second) and Jang Jonghyun (15th) scored for THT but Razie Rahim's brace in the 30th and 35th minutes took the match to a shootout.

All the four goals were from penalty corner attempts.

And in the shootout, Faizal Saari, Jang Jonghyun and Fitri Saari delivered for THT while only Rafizul Ezry Mustafa scored for UniKL.

THT coach I. Vikneswaran was upset that his team allowed UniKL to make a comeback.

“It shows we are still a 'work in progress' and even though we took a two-goal lead, we let it slip in regulation time,” he said.

THT took a gamble by fielding Hazrul Faiz in goal instead of the more experienced Hafizuddin Othman.

“We fielded Hazrul because of technical reason and it paid off handsomely as he was in-form during the match and he saved three during the shoot-out," said Vikneswaran.

The MHL tournament rules stipulate that only eight national and foreign players can be on the pitch at any one time, and Vikneswaran decided on eight experienced out-field players and benched his No 1 goalkeeper — but it worked wonders.

New Straits Times

Terengganu finally win title after failing three straight times

By Aftar Singh


Finally: Terengganu players and officials celebrate after they beat UniKL 3-1 in a penalty shootout to win the Charity Shield at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadium yesterday. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Jinxed no more!

Terengganu finally landed the elusive Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Charity Shield after failing three consecutive times.

The East Coast team ended their luckless run by beating Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) 3-1 in penalty shootout after the teams were tied at 2-2 in the 60-minute regulation time at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadium in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.

After going down to the KL Hockey Club in the last three Charity Shield matches at their own backyard, Terengganu restored the faith of their home fans by reigning supreme yesterday.

South Korean Jang Jong-hyun, Saari brothers Faizal and Mohd Fitri scored the goals for Terengganu in the penalty shootout while UniKL managed to score one through Rafizul Ezry Mustafa.

Terengganu goalkeeper Moha­mad Hazrul Faiz Ahmad Sobri was the hero for saving three during the penalty shootout.

Terengganu got off to a great start by taking the lead as early as the second minute off a penalty corner converted by Faizal.

Terengganu, who lost to Tenaga Nasional 2-1 in the final of the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup last Sunday, kept up the pressure and doubled the score off another penalty corner in the 15th minute through Jong-hyun.

Last year's overall champions UniKL, however, fought back in the second and third quarters to level the score with two penalty corner goals, thanks to Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim’s two-goal blitz within five minutes.

He scored in the 30th minute and five minutes later, Hazrul failed to stop another drag flick from Razie.

Terengganu coach I. Vickneswaran said his gamble to field second choice keeper Hazrul paid off handsomely.

“I rested national goalkeeper Muhd Hafizuddin Othman and fielded Hazrul as the tournament rule only allows a maximum of eight national players (four national players and four foreign players) to play in a match,” said Vickneswaran, who is coaching Terengganu for the first time in the MHL.

“Hazrul did well to justify my selection.”

Although they won the Charity Shield, Vickneswaran said he was concerned over their defence for conceding two goals in five minutes.

“We’ve to keep improving in every aspect of our game in the league,” said the former international.

The Star of Malaysia

Globetrotter Tiffany adds spice for Police Blue Warriors in hockey league

By Aftar Singh


Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan aims to help Police Blue Warriors win titles in the National Women's Hockey League.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Kong national player Tiffany Chan Yin Ching is going places.

The 22-year-old Tiffany played in the Dutch league for Rotterdam Club for two months last year and now she is back in Kuala Lumpur after a spell of three years to feature in the National Women’s Hockey League.

She wants to help Police Blue Warriors win a title this season.

Tiffany played for the Blue Warriors in 2016 and they won the Vivian Soars Cup (overall cup) and finished as league runners-up.

Tiffany said she did not mind travelling to different parts of the world to improve her game in hockey.

“Hockey is not popular in Hong Kong as we only play in the second-tier tournaments in Asia,” said Tiffany, who has represented Hong Kong for the last five years.

“But I’m happy to get a chance to play in the Dutch League, which is the top league in the world.

“I played for Rotterdam Clubs for two month last year and I’m hoping to play for them this season too.

“I enjoy playing in Malaysia as the league here is more competitive then the one in Hong Kong.

“Playing in the league here will benefit me as I’ll be able to improve my game and skills,” said Tiffany, who has 70 international caps to her credit.

Tiffany helped Blue Warriors outplay KL Wipers 4-0 in the opening match at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

Their next match is against PKS-Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) at Tun Razak Stadium in Jalan Duta on Saturday. Uniten  got off to resounding start by thrashing Penang’s PSHA-MSSPP 8-0 in first match.

“The biggest challenge for me playing the league in Malaysia is the blistering heat,” said Tiffany, who has a degree in business from the Hong Kong National University.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S LEAGUE
SATURDAY’S FIXTURES
LIAONING CLUB vs KL WIPERS 5pm
(National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Pitch 1)
SSTMI vs PSHA-MSSPP 5pm
(SSTMI Pitch in Bandar Penawar)
POLICE BLUE WARRIORS vs PKS-UNITEN 5pm
(Tun Razak Hockey Stadium in Jalan Duta).

The Star of Malaysia

Railway eye share of Leinster’s top spot


Railway Union’s Fergal Keaveney. Pic: Adrian Boehm

Railway Union have the chance to move into a share of top spot of Leinster men’s Division One when they take on Portrane as the league returns for 2019.

The Sandymount side are the only side of the leading trio in action who already look well set to secure – at the very least – a place in next season’s EYHL2.

They are bidding for a fifth successive win with their solid, experienced spine of Stephen O’Keeffe, Kenny Carroll, Fergal Keaveney and Rob Devlin potentially augmented by Rob Abbott this weekend.

Three points would lift them level with UCD on 22 – albeit with a game extra played – but they face a Portrane side looking to get their centenary year off to the perfect start.

Otherwise, it is something of a scramble for points to try and close the gap with Rathgar the best-placed side, seven points below third placed Corinthian. They meet Dublin North on Saturday.

Avoca host Clontarf with a winner from the game set to move into the top half of the table with Eli Bigwood having been influential for the Newpark side in the first half of the season.

On the indoor front in Leinster, Saturday sees the completion of the group stages with men’s Pool B with Three Rock Rovers, YMCA and Pembroke vying to win their games to take the direct group to the semis.

For second and third in this mini-series, they will go into Sunday’s playoff games with Glenanne and Kilkenny waiting in the wings at St Columba’s.

Two women’s semi-final spots are on the line on Sunday, too, with Muckross facing Three Rock Rovers and UCD up against North Kildare for a place in the following week’s final four.

Saturday 12th January 2019
Men
Leinster Division 1: Avoca v Clontarf, Newpark, 12.30pm; Railway Union v Portrane, Park Avenue, 2pm; Rathgar v Dublin North, High School, 12.30pm

Leinster Indoor League (all at St Columba’s, Rathfarnham): Three Rock Rovers v Pembroke, 6pm; YMCA v Three Rock Rovers, 6.40pm; Pembroke v YMCA, 7.20pm

Munster Division 1: Ashton v Cork C of I B, Ashton School, 3pm; Cork Harlequins v Catholic Institute, Farmers’ Cross, 1pm

Women
Munster Division 1: Ashton v Waterford, Ashton School, 1.30pm; Catholic Institute v Limerick, Rosbrien, 12pm

Sunday 13th January 2019
Men
Leinster Indoor league playoffs (all at St Columba’s, Rathfarnham): 2pm to 5pm – fixtures to be confirmed on Saturday evening

Women
Munster Division 1: Catholic Institute v Belvedere, Rosbrien, 12pm

Leinster Indoor league playoffs (all at St Columba’s, Rathfarnham)
Quarter-finals: Muckross v Three Rock Rovers, 12pm; UCD v North Kildare, 12.40pm

The Hook

Crucial weekend of indoor hockey ahead



There’s a crucial weekend of indoor hockey in prospect; the men`s programme sees the end of the league section of the Scottish Indoor National League 1, while the women's has moved on to the group stages.

Inverleith are in the driving seat with a perfect record after five games and sit top of the pile in men`s National League 1, but coach Stuart Neave is aware that only top performances against Grove Menzieshill and then Western Wildcats on Saturday will maintain that status.

Neave said: “So we will need to remain focused if we wish to take the points from this weekend`s fixtures.”

At the moment the champions are three points ahead of the Wildcats and have a six point advantage over Grove Menzieshill, although the latter have a game in hand.

The Taysiders are first up for Neave`s charges, and although they have already dropped three points in the campaign, the Inverleith coach will nonetheless give his traditional rivals full respect.

“Grove Menzieshill are always a difficult side to play against and will certainly be a challenge as we restart the league games.”

The Dundonians are well capable of rattling in the goals if given the opportunity, Cameron Golden leads the way ably supported by Albert Rowling, Ben Cromar, Jamie Golden and Paul Martin.

After a few years in the doldrums the Wildcats have responded positively to the indoor challenge and sit in second spot. The Auchenhowie side have a taxing weekend, they open against a Grange side that are on a four game unbeaten run after losing their opening encounter against Inverleith.

Then the big clash with the champions. “Western have had a good start, playing well and scoring plenty of goals, so I expect another challenging game,” said Neave.

Wildcats have scored 33 goals in their five matches so far – the main strikers being Andrew and Joe McConnell, Fraser Moran, Hamish Galt and Rob Harwood. Their run of impressive victories included a 7-5 win over Grove Menzieshill, while their only reversal was a 4-3 loss to Dundee Wanderers.

So a high-scoring encounter is in prospect for pole position.

Grange are the other side in the top four mix, their credentials will be tested in their encounters with Grove Menzieshill and Western – they might need to take something from these games to maintain their status.

Dundee Wanderers have been consigned to the lower echelons of the table with only three points from four games. But the Taysiders have a chance to slip into the top four if they can take full points from their encounters with Clydesdale, bottom side Kelburne, but they’re due to finish with the all-Dundee derby against Grove Menzieshill.

Newcomers Dunfermline Carnegie also have a chance to making it to the top reaches of the table, but to have any chance they must take the six points from their games against Kelburne and Clydesdale.

The women`s competition has moved on to the pool stage – Pool A consists of Dundee Wanderers, Hillhead, Watsonians and Grange with Clydesdale Western, Grove Menzieshill, Edinburgh CALA and Edinburgh University in the other. The top two sides in each group then move on to the semi-finals.

With the results between the competing sides carried forward, Western are top of their group with nine points from their three games already played, three ahead of Grove Menzieshill who they meet in their opening match.

A repeat of the 4-3 victory last Sunday would see the Titwood side advance to the semi-final stage, Kayleigh Justice was the catalyst that day with a hat-trick in a match that was evenly contested.

The champions then go on to take on Edinburgh University in their second encounter, a side they have already beaten 8-0.

Grove Menzieshill then tackle CALA, a repeat of the earlier 7-1 triumph would almost certainly confirm their place in the semis.

Pool A would seem to be a much closer affair; Dundee Wanderers lead with seven points, only one ahead of Watsonians with Hillhead a further two adrift.

A Sunday double victory over Hillhead and bottom side Grange would see the former champions progress with ease.

However, Hillhead might again prove a stumbling block, on the opening day the contest finished in a 2-2 draw with Wendy Andrews getting the equaliser for the Glasgow side in the final three minutes.

However, the draw has not been particularly kind to Hillhead, they finished in fourth place in the league but are only third in the pool after losing 2-1 to Watsonians.

Yet it was a close affair, and it took second half strikes by Nikki Stobie and Emily Newlands to end Hillhead`s unbeaten run.

So as a result of victories over Hillhead and Grange, it is Watsonians who occupy second spot in the pool, two ahead of Hillhead. The Edinburgh side could extend that lead with an opening win over Grange, last time out than ended a convincing 9-1.

So second spot in this pool could be settled in the return Watsonians versus Hillhead confrontation with the latter probably needing a win to have any chance of a semi-final place.

Scottish Hockey Union media release

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