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News for 14 March 2018

All the news for Wednesday 14 March 2018


Men's Asian Games Qualifier 2018 - Day 6
Muscat (OMA)

THA - HKG     Pool A     3 - 0
BAN - AFG     Pool A     25 - 0

Final Pool Standings

Pool A

 
Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Bangladesh 3 3 0 0 35 1 34 9
2 Thailand 3 2 0 1 26 5 21 6
3 Hong Kong China 3 1 0 2 20 9 11 3
4 Afghanistan 3 0 0 3 1 67 -66 0

Pool B

 
Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Oman 3 3 0 0 12 4 8 9
2 Sri Lanka 3 2 0 1 11 6 5 6
3 Chinese Taipei 3 1 0 2 12 11 1 3
4 Kazakhstan 3 0 0 3 3 17 -14 0

Wednesday 14 March is a rest day

FIH Match Centre



New Zealand Men selected for Gold Coast


Photo: www.photosport.nz

The New Zealand Men’s hockey team has been announced ahead of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next month.

Players were formally named by the New Zealand Olympic Committee alongside Hockey New Zealand at an announcement on Wednesday.

Shea McAleese is the most experienced player in the team having played 258 tests, ahead of what will serve as his fourth straight Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

The campaign will boost the 33-year-old’s career record at major tournaments to three Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games and three World Cups.

Veteran midfielder Arun Panchia (243 caps) will captain the side in his third successive Commonwealth Games following on from Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014.

Striker Hugo Inglis is also lining up for his third straight Games and will be looking to add another medal to the bronze won in Delhi.

Midlands midfielder Aidan Sarikaya is the freshest face having only played 10 tests for New Zealand, and joins a group of five talented athletes in the team who are aged 23 or younger.

Several players were unavailable for selection due to injuries including veteran defender Blair Tarrant (back) and forwards Simon Child (hip), Blair Hilton (knee) and Sam Lane (knee).

Head coach Darren Smith said it’s an exciting time for the New Zealand side as they go into the Gold Coast campaign with high hopes.

"We’re really looking forward to the challenge of the Commonwealth Games and we know we will go up against some very good sides," Smith said.

"The majority of the team for Gold Coast played during this year’s Four Nations series in Tauranga and Hamilton so it will be great to continue that progression as a unit.

“It’s great to have Cory Bennett back after several months out with injury - he’s been training very strongly and will add a lot in the defensive line."

New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith extended her congratulations to the athletes.

"Well done to all of the athletes named in the team today," she said.

"Men's hockey is always played to an extremely high standard at the Commonwealth Games, I know this team will want to get amongst the medals and we wish them all the best as they strive to do so."

Sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the 10 competing nations for both men’s and women’s competitions are divided into two pools of five based on their FIH World Rankings.

Adding to the high standard on display, eight of the 10 men’s sides competing on the Gold Coast will also be participating at this year’s Hockey World Cup in December.

The hockey competition runs from 5-14 April at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre and sees each side play all other pool opponents before the top two from each pool progress to the semi-finals and medal matches.

Men’s Pool A features New Zealand along with trans-Tasman rivals Australia, Canada, South Africa and Scotland while Pool B includes England, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Wales.

The Kiwis open their Commonwealth Games campaign against Canada at 1:30pm (NZ time) on Friday 6th April.

The New Zealand Men have won two medals at past Commonwealth Games with a silver at Manchester 2002 and bronze at Delhi 2010.

For more information on hockey at Gold Coast 2018, click here to visit the official website

NEW ZEALAND MEN’S TEAM
GOLD COAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES
5-14 APRIL, 2018

PLAYER NAME

REGION

POSITION

AGE

CAPS

Cory BENNETT

North Harbour

Defender

26

62

Marcus CHILD

Auckland

Midfielder

27

120

Hugo INGLIS

Southern

Midfielder/Striker

27

203

Stephen JENNESS

Capital

Striker

27

201

Richard JOYCE

North Harbour

Goalkeeper

25

39

Dane LETT

Capital

Defender

27

17

Devon MANCHESTER

Auckland

Goalkeeper

28

115

Shea McALEESE

Central

Defender

33

258

Harry MISKIMMIN

Capital

Defender

23

33

George MUIR

North Harbour

Midfielder/Striker

24

89

Dominic NEWMAN

Canterbury

Striker

21

22

Arun PANCHIA (capt)

Auckland

Defender/Midfielder

28

243

Jared PANCHIA

Auckland

Striker

24

80

Hayden PHILLIPS

Central

Midfielder

20

47

Nick ROSS

Southern

Midfielder

27

79

Kane RUSSELL

Southern

Defender/Midfielder

25

112

Aidan SARIKAYA

Midlands

Midfielder

21

10

Nic WOODS

Midlands

Defender/Midfielder

22

77

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Black Sticks back youth in face of injuries


New Zealand's Aidan Sarikaya in action against Belgium in January. Photo: Photosport.nz

The New Zealand men's hockey selectors have backed younger players to claim a third Commonwealth Games medal when the team plays at the Gold Coast event next month.

Midlands midfielder Aidan Sarikaya is the freshest face having played 10 internationals. He joins a group of five athletes aged 23 or younger.

Several players were unavailable for selection due to injuries, including defender Blair Tarrant (back) and forwards Simon Child (hip), Blair Hilton (knee) and Sam Lane (knee).

Shea McAleese is the most experienced in the team, with 258 caps, ahead of his fourth Games.

Midfielder Arun Panchia (243 caps) will captain the side.

Panchia and strikers Hugo Inglis and Stephen Jenness will head to their third straight Games.

"The majority of the team for Gold Coast played during this year's Four Nations series in Tauranga and Hamilton so it will be great so continue that progression as a unit," coach Darren Smith said.

"It's great to have Cory Bennett back after several months out with injury - he's been training strongly and will add a lot in the defensive line."

Sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the 10 competing nations for the men's and women's competitions are divided into two pools of five based on world rankings.

Eight of the 10 men's sides competing on the Gold Coast will also participate at this year's World Cup in December.

The hockey competition runs from April 5-14. The top two from each pool progress to the semi-finals and medal matches.

Men's pool A features New Zealand, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Scotland. Pool B includes England, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Wales.

The Kiwis open their campaign against Canada on April 6.

New Zealand's two medal were a bronze at Delhi in 2010 and a silver at Manchester in 2002.

The squad: Cory Bennett, Marcus Child, Hugo Inglis, Stephen Jenness, Richard Joyce, Dane Lett, Devon Manchester, Shea McAleese, Harry Miskimmin, George Muir, Dominic Newman, Arun Panchia (captain), Jared Panchia, Hayden Phillips, Nick Ross, Kane Russell,
Aidan Sarikaya, Nic Woods.

The New Zealand Herald



Arun Panchia to lead Black Sticks hockey team at third Commonwealth Games


Arun Panchia will captain the Black Sticks on the Gold Coast. GETTY IMAGES

Arun Panchia will lead the Black Sticks at his third consecutive Commonwealth Games.

The New Zealand men's hockey team was named on Wednesday, missing some key players who are currently sidelined with injury.

The unavailable players include defender Blair Tarrant (back) and forwards Simon Child (hip), Blair Hilton (knee) and Sam Lane (knee).

https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/o/v/f/g/1/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1ovg2h.png/1520972790473.jpg
Simon Child will miss the tournament through injury.GETTY IMAGES

With 258 caps to his name, Shea McAleese is the most experienced player in the squad.

The campaign will boost the 33-year-old's career record to three Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games and three World Cups.

Strikers Hugo Inglis and Stephen Jenness are also lining up for their third straight Games and will be looking to add another medal to the bronze won in Delhi.

Midlands midfielder Aidan Sarikaya is the freshest face having only played 10 tests for New Zealand, and joins a group of five talented athletes in the team who are aged 23 or younger.

Coach Darren Smith said it's an exciting time for the New Zealand side as they go into the Gold Coast campaign with high hopes.

"We're really looking forward to the challenge of the Commonwealth Games and we know we will go up against some very good sides," Smith said.

"The majority of the team for Gold Coast played during this year's Four Nations series in Tauranga and Hamilton so it will be great so continue that progression as a unit.

"It's great to have Cory Bennett back after several months out with injury - he's been training very strongly and will add a lot in the defensive line."

New Zealand will contest Pool A alongside trans-Tasman rivals Australia, Canada, South Africa and Scotland.

Black Sticks: Cory Bennett, Marcus Child, Hugo Inglis, Stephen Jenness, Richard Joyce, Dane Lett, Devon Manchester, Shea McAleese, Harry Miskimmin, George Muir, Dominic Newman, Arun Panchia (c), Jared Panchia, Hayden Phillips, Nick Ross, Kane Russell, Aidan Sarikaya, Nic Woods.

Stuff



Pakistan hockey team for Commonwealth Games named


Pakistan-hockey-captain...Mohammad-Rizwan-Senior

LAHORE: An 18-member Pakistan hockey team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was named on Tuesday after getting it formally approved from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar. The two-day trials conducted, by the PHF, concluded at the Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium in Karachi on Monday, which were participated by 31 probables.

The team will be captained by Mohammad Rizwan Senior. Vice captain is Ammad Shakeel Butt. The selectors and the Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans tried different combinations during four sessions of 15 minutes each on the concluding day of the trials. The selection committee headed by former Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui and comprising Ayaz Mahmood, Farhat Khan, Musaddig Hussain and Qasim Khan were in attendance.

The trials were followed by long deliberations between the selectors, Dutch coach and the team manager Hasan Sardar. The XXI Commonwealth Games runs in the Australian city of Gold Coast from April 4-15.

Following are the members of the team: Imran Butt, Mazhar Abbas, M Irfan Senior, Tazeemul Hassan, Mubashar Ali, Faisal Qadir, Ammad Shakeel Butt (Vice Captain), Tauseeq Arshad, Tasawwar Abbas, Abubakr Mahmood, M Irfan Junior, Shafqat Rasool, Dilber, Ateeq Arshad, Ali Shan, Arslan Qadir, Mohammad Rizwan Senior (captain) and Rana Sohail.

The Daily Times



Surprise and boldness mark India's CWG games' team

s2h team



Men's hockey team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games marks both boldness of its coach and also an element of suspense, besides reaffirming new coach Sjoerd Marinje's reliance on young blood. The bulk of the team that saw action at Azlan Shah has been consigned to oblivion, surprisingly that includes forward Ramandeep Singh and all rounder Surender Singh.

Hockey India has today announced team with Manpreet Singh and Chinglensana Singh regaining their captaincy and vice-captaincy, respectively. Goalie Sreejesh comes in without any surprise but on merit. Joining him is Suraj Karkera, undoubtedly worthy second behind Sreejesh.

As widely speculated, Sardar Singh who led India at the Azlan Shah, is sidelined.

Coach seems to rely on young blood in every layer of the game. Its Varun Kumar, who replaces Surender Singh and then the tried and tested lot consisting of Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Kothajit Singh and Gurinder Singh are there. The last mentioned, Lucknow Jr WC goldie, must thanks his stars. So also, Amit Rohidas.

Vivek Sagar Prasad, who led India at the last year's Sultan of Johor Cup, and who made debut in the New Zealand tour, made it to Gold Coast. Perhaps his scoring prowess besides ball handling abilities must have endeared the coach, whose penchant for young blood comes to the fore.

Same view deserves to be cast with respect to Dilpreet Singh too. He is young, top scorer at the SoJC where the talent of Vivek was uncovered. He comes at the cost of Ramandeep Singh, a surprise. But its Sojered Marinje's gamebit.

Just married SV Sunil tops the forwardline, and has in him Mandeep Singh and Gurjant Singh.

By and large, the team evokes surprise and its genuineness will be known only at Gold Coast.

Squad:
Goalkeepers
1. Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran
2. Suraj Karkera

Defenders
3. Rupinder Pal Singh
4. Harmanpreet Singh
5. Varun Kumar
6. Kothajit Singh Kadangbam
7. Gurinder Singh
8. Amit Rohidas

Midfielders
9. Manpreet Singh(C)
10. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (VC)
11. Sumit
12. Vivek Sagar Prasad

Forwards
13. Akashdeep Singh
14. Sunil Sowmarpet Vitalacharya
15. Gurjant Singh
16. Mandeep Singh
17. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
18. Dilpreet Singh

Stick2Hockey.com



No place for Sardar, Ramandeep

Sreejesh makes a comeback to the 18-member team for Commonwealth Games

Shreedutta Chidananda


Words of wisdom: Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne and drag-flick specialist Chris Ciriello interact with the Indian hockey team members in Bengaluru on Tuesday. 

Sardar Singh was left out as Hockey India on Tuesday named an 18-member squad for next month’s Commonwealth Games.

The veteran midfielder had been recalled for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where he led the team to a fifth-placed finish last week, but now he appears to have reached the end of the road.

Not convincing enough

“He didn’t convince us enough,” chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said at the SAI here. “It was not only in the Azlan Shah but also in the Asia Cup. We also saw every training session. With Manpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad in those central midfield positions, we picked three players who can divide play and have a good overview but also overlap. They can also be scoring mid-fielders.”

Marijne has tried out a large number of players since he took charge of the men’s team in September, but the Commonwealth Games should see India whittle down its core group for the Asian Games and the World Cup later this year.

“We have seen more or less 50 players through the whole process. We’ve played four tournaments (since he arrived) and every player has had a chance to show himself at two tournaments. We have now chosen 18. After the CWG, we will have a squad of 24, from which we will select the teams for the big tournaments. We will also have 24 in the development squad,” the Dutchman said.

India has been placed in Group B alongside Pakistan, Malaysia, Wales, and England and will begin its campaign on April 7 against Pakistan, now coached by Roelant Oltmans.

“Oltmans is there and he knows a lot about India but a few things have also changed in the last few months,” said Marijne. “It will be a really good challenge.”

Young stars

There is no place in the side for forward Ramandeep Singh, with young Dilpreet Singh preferred instead for his speed and versatility. He and Vivek Sagar Prasad, both 18, were part of the Indian squad at the Four Nations tournament in New Zealand earlier this year.

P.R. Sreejesh is back in goal for his first major event following a lengthy absence due to injury.

The squad: Goalkeepers: P.R. Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera; Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh Kadangbam, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas; Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (capt.), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad; Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, S.V. Sunil, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Dilpreet Singh.

The Hindu



Sardar Singh, Birendra Lakra dropped; focus on youngsters

In what is a key tournament and would set the tone for rest of the year, the think-tank opted to do away with senior and experienced members.

HARPREET KAUR LAMBA


Sardar Singh

New Delhi: Sardar Singh, Birendra Lakra and Ramandeep Singh were the big casualties as Hockey India on Tuesday named a new-look team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

In what is a key tournament and would set the tone for rest of the year, the think-tank opted to do away with senior and experienced members.

Others to miss out are defender Surender Kumar, midfielder S.K. Uthappa, Talwinder Singh and Satbir Singh (both forwards), all of whom have featured regularly in the last few years.

While chief coach Sjoerd Marijne reasoned that “youngsters can play without fear and the team reflects right composition”, it is baffling that India have decided to go with five youngsters with a combined experience of less than 50 matches.

To their credit, Gurjant Singh, Gurinder Singh, Sumit, 17-year-old Vivek Sagar Prasad and Dilpreet Singh have impressed on the last few tours, but are yet to be tested on the big stage.

For Sardar, there was virtually no hope of making the cut after being sidelined since November last. He led a second-string team in the recent Azlan Shah Cup, where India finished fifth.

It is also learnt that the former skipper’s name has now been removed from even the 24-member core group, effectively bringing an end to his illustrious career.

Said Marijne from Bengaluru when asked about these changes, “Sardar was dropped because Manpreet, Chinglensana and Vivek have been doing very well in those (midfield) positions. They add to the depth and are also good defenders, thus making it the right composition.

“Vivek and Dilpreet played four matches each against a top team like Belgium, and have enough experience to play the Commonwealth Games. Others too have a lot of experience.”

Added Marijne, “Ramandeep’s was a close call and he needs to be more consistent.”

Manpreet will lead the team and Chinglensana has been named his deputy.

The team has four drag-flickers in Rupinderpal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun and Amit Rohidas.

The dependable Sreejesh P.R. takes up goalkeeping duties and will have Suraj Karkera to assist him.

S.V. Sunil is at the centre of attack along with the experienced Akashdeep Singh. Gurjant Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh complete the line-up.

Team
Goalkeepers: Sreejesh P.R., Suraj Karkera. Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas. Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (capt), Chinglensana Singh (vice-capt.), Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad. Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, S.V. Sunil, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh.

The Asian Age



Old hand Sardar Singh loses out to fresh legs in hockey squad for CWG 2018

Sardar Singh dropped from Commonwealth Games squad as India coach Sjoerd Marijne goes for players with ‘more creativity and depth’.

By Mihir Vasavda


Sardar Singh captained India at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup earlier this month. (Source: File)

Sardar Singh’s all-round ability once made him an indispensable member of the Indian team and a perpetual threat for the opponents. He could set-up and score goals, was technically adept to bail the defence out time and again, and was the team’s main creative outlet. Ultimately, a decline in these attributes has led to curtains being all but pulled down on the ageing midfielder’s illustrious career.

Sardar, as expected, was dropped from India’s 18-member squad for next month’s Commonwealth Games. And unless there is a dramatic change in the team’s selection policy, it looks likely that last week’s Azlan Shah Cup, where he was the captain, was Sardar’s final tournament in the Indian jersey. With chief coach Sjoerd Marijne choosing players with ‘more creativity, depth as well as scoring and defending abilities’ ahead of him, a re-entry into the core group looks high uncertain for Sardar.

In fact, Marijne said he will shrink his core group for future tournaments to 24 players from the current 33, and it is learnt Sardar does not feature in it as well. The team for the year’s other major events like the Champions Trophy, Asian Games and World Cup will be picked from those 24 players. There will be another group of 24 players but that will be a developmental squad.

A Hockey India official said it will be up to Sardar to ‘announce his retirement or keep playing domestic competitions.’ The 31-year-old, it is learnt, left the national camp on Tuesday after the team was made official.

Sardar is not the only Indian team regular to be excluded from the Gold Coast-bound squad. Striker Ramandeep Singh and midfielder SK Uthappa, too, have been axed from the team for their inconsistent performances, although the former has been named as a reserve player in case of an injury to one of the squad members. Unlike Sardar, Ramandeep is likely to return to the core group after the CWG but the same cannot be said of Uthappa, a two-time Olympian.

Marijne has made a bold decision to replace the veterans with players with no prior experience of playing a major tournament. Centre-half Vivek Sagar Prasad and forward Dilpreet Singh, who made their debuts at a tournament in New Zealand earlier this year, replace Sardar and Ramandeep respectively.

On the eve of the team’s announcement, Sardar said his fitness was as good as it has ever been but admitted he had work to do on his receiving abilities. But Marijne said he was not convinced with Sardar’s speed and all-round abilities when compared to some of the youngsters who play in the same position.

“It’s not only in Azlan Shah but also in Asia Cup. We also saw him in the training,” Marijne said, justifying Sardar’s omission. “We did not select Sardar because we think that Manpreet (Singh), Ching (Chinglensana Singh) and Vivek (Sagar) are doing really well in those positions. They make easy depth, have a lot of creativity, they can score and are good defenders. Because of that, we did not pick Sardar. This will be the core squad for rest of the year. They will be made to 24 after the Commonwealth Games and we play the big tournaments with these players.”

Sardar is the first big casualty of a rapidly changing selection policy under Marijne. A few years ago, it would have been unlikely for a player of Sardar’s stature to be dropped, especially for an important multi-discipline event, for losing a yard of their pace. But India’s talent pool has gradually been widening, with players like Sagar and Dilpreet showing signs of maturity and some from the 2016 junior World Cup-winning squad snapping at the heels of the established stars.

It has given Marijne, who has shown affinity towards younger players, the opportunity to phase out the players who do not feature in his plans, regardless of their reputations. Questions have frequently been raised over Sardar’s presence in the team over the last 12 months, with some suggesting he was picked by former coaches only on the basis of his past exploits.

Marijne said has not taken into account a player’s past performance, relying only on their form since he took charge in October last year. “This squad has been picked keeping in mind the performance in the previous tournaments since the Asia Cup 2017,” said Marijne, who has tested close to 45 players since taking over from Roelant Oltmans as the coach. “We have tried out different combinations in the past events and we believe this will be the most effective combination for the Commonwealth Games. And Sardar does not feature in my plans right now.”

Squad: Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera; Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas; Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (C), Chinglensana Singh (vice-captain), Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad; Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh

Indian Express



Performances rewarded with Commonwealth Games ticket as experiment phase ends in Indian men's hockey

By Ashim Sunam


The 18-member Indian men s hockey team who will represent India at Gold Coast 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Tuesday. | PTI

BENGALURU: For the last few months, coach Sjoerd Marijne kept a close eye on the performance of his players in different tournaments.

In the name of experimentation, the Dutchman gave the players chances to put forward their claim and earn their place for major events. Some failed while some impressed him to the hilt, and the 18-men squad chosen to represent India at the Commonwealth Games is a testimony to the fact.

The experimentation phase also seems to be over with Asian Games, Champions Trophy and World Cup among others coming up after the CWG. There is no room for hit and trial approach with India gunning for medals in big events.

India announced the team on Tuesday, and big names — Sardar Singh, Ramandeep Singh and SK Uthappa — have missed the flight to Gold Coast. However, India have all their bases covered. The likes of Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh (India’s two best bets at penalty corners) are at the heart of defence, skipper Manpreet Singh and his deputy Chinglensana Singh will marshal the midfield area. The likes of Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and SV Sunil will lead India’s forward line.

With the return of PR Sreejesh, who did not feature in Sultan Azlan Shah, India have got much-needed experience under the bar. Suraj Karkera is the second goalkeeper. Dilpreet Singh, who impressed in New Zealand, has been picked with the 18-year-old possessing the ability to play as midfielder too.“I’ve been with the team for five months almost. We’ve played a few tournaments and every player has had a chance to show himself at two tournaments. We’ve picked this team because this is the best combination we saw,” said the Dutchman.

“Dilpreet scored a lot of goals in the New Zealand tour and he is quick on the uptake. He plays in the forward line, but he can operate in the midfield as well.”The core players will have to deliver in the competition and aim to bring their first CWG gold home. They faltered in the final twice (2010 and 2014). It is not going to be any easy for Marijne’s team with India in a tricky group, which includes England, Malaysia, Pakistan and Wales.

“We will focus on ourself. Whether we play Pakistan or Australia, it doesn’t matter. We have to do our key things well. Of course you’re going to watch clips of the other countries and you have to know what they’re doing,” said Marijne.

Though CWG is one of the big 2018 events, even bigger challenges (Asiad, CT and World Cup) lie ahead. Marijne seems to have a plan. After his boys are back from the CWG, the core squad will be trimmed to 24 players, from which the final squad for big tournaments will take shape.   “The announcement of the 24 will be after the CWG. We will finally have the 24 from which we will select the squads for the big tournaments.”

Squad:

Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera

Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas;

Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (C), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (VC), Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad;

Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, SV Sowmarpet, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh.

The New Indian Express



‘Sardar wasn’t convincing enough, Ramandeep needs to improve’: Coach Sjoerd Marijne

Sardar and Ramandeep were excluded from the Indian men’s hockey squad for the Commonwealth Games.


Hotstar screengrab

Bengaluru: Among the notable exclusions from the Indian men’s hockey squad for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) announced on Tuesday were Sardar Singh and Ramandeep Singh.

Sardar, skippering India in their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup campaign, didn’t score in the tournament and despite flashes of brilliance, failed to inspire a young team that finished fifth among the six nations.

On the other hand Ramandeep, in the forward line, scored four goals – including two against champions Australia, assisted twice and injected the ball for his fellow young attackers.

So, it was his exclusion from the CWG squad, rather than the struggling Sardar’s, that came as a surprise.

Coach Sjoerd Marijne was present at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to shed some light on the topic. “Raman is a good player. He played well in New Zealand and Azlan Shah. But we still want him to improve,” he said.

“We picked other players who also did very well. Dilpreet (Singh) scored a lot of goals in the New Zealand tour, he learns quickly. In defense and attack, he’s spectacular. We have Akashdeep (Singh) also in that position. We compared with them. And at the moment we chose them because they have good speed.”

Sardar, the coach said, didn’t convince him enough. “It’s not only in Azlan Shah but also in Asia Cup. We also saw him in the training,” he said. “We pick midfielders who can also score. That’s what you saw in New Zealand. There’s diversity to the players we picked and that’s why we picked them for that position.”

Marijne also revealed that he’d stop tweaking the squad for the Asian Games in August and the Hockey World Cup in November. A 48-player group will split evenly into a main squad and a developmental squad. Another six players will be added to the 18-member squad that will travel to Australia to take part in the CWG in Gold Coast.

Here are excerpts from his interaction with the media:-

On India’s opponents in CWG

We’d want to focus on ourselves. Teams like Pakistan, England… it doesn’t matter. It’s about our own performance. Our key points, we have to do them good. The more we are busy with ourselves, the less pressure we feel. Of course, you have to show some clips from other countries, you have to know what they are doing.

On facing Pakistan

We train hard, we prepare well and be ready for the first match against Pakistan. I know (Roelant) Oltmans is there, he knows a few things about India but a few things changed in the last few months. It will be a really good challenge.

On India’s Azlan Shah performance

I think we did really well. Only the results were not always good. If you saw our matches against Argentina and Australia, you’d know how close we were. And, we drew against England, who played with their best side. The only match that was disappointing was the match against Ireland – and that happens with an inexperienced squad. They played a high-level game against Malaysia, who were also with the full squad. Of course, we wanted to end higher. But we did really well. And, a lot of players have some experience at the international level. They are the future for India – and that’s important. We need the depth.

On takeaways from experimenting with squad

That we have a lot of players who have played international hockey. That’s really good. The future for India is looking bright. With different teams every time there was good leadership. With different groups, they had to adjust, they didn’t know which position they were going to play in, if they were going to be in the next tournament. So, mentally it was tough for them. And, that’s what we also want to create because in big matches we need mental strength.

On Sreejesh’s comeback

Of course, it’s important that he’s back. He’s an experienced player. Also good is Suraj Karkera, who did an amazing job against Malaysia. We have two good goalkeepers.

On the constant change in Hockey World Cup format

I am not too bothered by that. If that’s the way they want it, we’ll do it like that. That’s fine with us. We will be busy with things we can control.

Scroll.in



Indian hockey team players picked in midfield are better than Sardar Singh: Coach

Sardar Singh was dropped from the Indian hockey team’s Commonwealth Games squad that will be held in Gold Coast.

B Shrikant


Indian hockey team player Sardar Singh in action against Ireland during the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.(AFP)

Sjoerd Marijne, the chief coach of Indian men’s hockey team, stuck his neck out and recommended dropping Sardar Singh for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Though the event in Australia is not top priority for him and his team, considering there are crucial events like Asian Games and the Hockey World Cup later in the year, the team’s performance at Gold Coast will be closely monitored because of the bold decisions Marijne has taken in the last few months.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, the 43-year-old coach gives the rationale behind his decision to leave out Sardar and the challenges India will face at Gold Coast. Excerpts:

How will you rate this side’s chances at the Commonwealth Games?

I have been the coach for around four-and-half months. I am really happy with this squad because everybody has been on a short tour or two and we (have been able to) see which players have performed the best. I think this is the right (set) to go to for the Commonwealth Games.

How do you rate India’s pool in the Commonwealth Games?

It is difficult to rate as we don’t know a lot about Pakistan or Wales. Of course, we know Malaysia having played against them. For me, the most important thing is to focus on ourselves. I am not so bothered by other countries. If we are focused, we will beat other countries.

What according to you are the takeaways from the last two competitions (New Zealand tour and Azlan Shah Cup)?

We went to Azlan Shah and played really well with a few inexperienced players. We should have won against Ireland but we were very close in other matches even though the other teams were full strength. We missed two or three key players. Overall, I think we did really well and it was good experience for a lot of players. The takeaway from the New Zealand tour was consistency. We played eight matches and in those matches we did not drop our level and we won the matches that we should win --- against lower ranked countries, and we were very close against Belgium — one win and one draw. That gives us a good feeling because Belgium is one of the best teams at the moment.

How did these two tours help in picking the squad for Commonwealth Games?

We put players in positions where there was pressure. The players knew if their performance was not up to scratch, they would not be taken to Commonwealth Games.

Where do you think is Sardar Singh’s future headed?

We had competition for midfield positions. Manpreet picks himself but Sardar was a contender for the other slot. The players finally picked are more diverse than Sardar, they can also score, all three of them (Chinglensana, Sumit and Vivek Sagar Prasad). They are also good defenders in the midfield and are fast as forwards. Besides, they also play vertical. That is why we did not pick Sardar. However, a squad of 24 players will be announced after the Commonwealth Games and Sardar will be in it.

What are your expectations from the Commonwealth Games?

The Indian team always goes to tournaments to win gold and that’s our goal. I expect the team to be consistent and if we manage to play according to our plans, our performance will be good and we will be successful.

So, where does Commonwealth Games stand in your plan for the entire year?

Of course, Asian Games and World Cup are the two important tournaments. But to be good there, we need to be good at other tournaments like Commonwealth Games and Champions Trophy at Breda (Netherlands) where we will play against higher-ranked countries as well as teams that play Asian Games.

Hindustan Times



Sardar Singh has a lot to offer, says hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay

India hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay rues veteran midfielder's exclusion from India's CWG squad; says young team will struggle without his experience and guidance Down Under

Ashwin Ferro


Veteran midfielder Sardar Singh captained India to a fifth-place finish in the recently concluded Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia

India hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay yesterday expressed extreme disappointment at the dropping of veteran midfielder Sardar Singh, 31, from the line-up for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia starting April 4.

"While I agree with the selectors' plan of focussing on youth, they should also realise that youth without experience can be ineffective. Sardar is your most experienced player and his guidance is very crucial to this young forwardline," former India captain Pillay, 49, told mid-day yesterday.


Dhanraj Pillay

'Deceptive player'

The mercurial forward explained: "Modern hockey is all about short moves set up by deceptive quick passes, and there is no player in this current Indian team who can play the deceptive pass like Sardar from the centre. He will look in one direction and then suddenly, in one sweeping action, relay a pass in the opposite direction, deceiving at least a couple of opposition players in the bargain. And of course, that pass will perfectly find an India forward's stick."

While some critics believe Sardar was getting slower with time, India coach Sjoerd Marijne said that his exclusion was due to the competition in the team, Dhanraj felt there's more to it.

"There are four quarters of 15 minutes each nowadays. So if Sardar is used in short bursts and then taken off, he can be very effective against any team in the world given his intelligent reading of the game.

"Simply removing him on the basis of a poor show by the team in the Azlan Shah Cup is unfair because he was given a junior team to lead in Malaysia. Sardar can still serve Indian hockey and it's extremely disappointing to see him being treated like this. Without Sardar this young Indian team will struggle against the mighty Australians at the CWG," added the four-time Olympian and four-time World Cupper.

Meanwhile, forward Ramandeep Singh too was excluded from the 18-member squad.

'Keeper PR Sreejesh returns

Veteran custodian PR Sreejesh is back after having suffered a Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injury during the Azlan Shah tournament last year.

His brilliant show during the New Zealand tour saw him get his rightful place back. He will be backed by the Suraj Karkera, 22, who played a crucial part in the team's good show in Bhubaneswar last year in his senior counterpart's absence.

While Manpreet Singh dons the captain's armband, the responsibilities of his deputy will be shouldered by Chinglensana Singh Kangujam.

It was under Manpreet's leadership the Indian team lifted the Asia Cup followed by a bronze medal at the Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar last year. India team are in Pool 'B' along with Pakistan, Malaysia, Wales, England and will begin their campaign on April 7 against Pakistan.

India squad for the Commonwealth Games
Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera
Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas; Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (C), Chinglensana Singh, Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh

Mid-Day



Is it the end of road for Sardar Singh?

By Rutvick Mehta


Sardar Singh

The writing was on the wall for Sardar Singh, and unfortunately for him, he couldn't do much to erase it.

In what increasingly looks like the end of the road for one of the finest hockey players the country has ever produced, Sardar was axed from the 18-member Indian hockey men's squad that will fly to Gold Coast, Australia, for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) slated next month.

DNA had reported last month that there will be almost two distinct Indian teams for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and the CWG. And, with Sardar being picked for the former to lead an experimental side, it was almost certain that he wouldn't get a ticket for the multi-nation event unless he turned back the clock and came up with something special at the Azlan Shah.

Having produced sprinkles of his former self instead of showers, the heat was always going to intensify on the former India captain, more so with India finishing a poor fifth in the six-nation tournament.

And now, with Sardar being sidelined for the CWG squad, it is hard to see the 31-year-old make a comeback at this stage of his career, especially with coach Sjoerd Marijne having his mind set on a young, fit and quick team for the crucial Asian Games and FIH World Cup later this year as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Marijne's reasoning of keeping Sardar out almost spills the beans on the star midfielder's road ahead in Indian hockey.

"In the midfield, we have players like Chinglensana (Singh), Manpreet (Singh) and Vivek (Sagar Prasad). These are guys who can play vertical besides being really proper while defending in the midfield. Add to that, they can also score goals," Marijne told DNA on Tuesday.

"So, the diversity that these players offer in almost two positions is really big for the team. And that's why we chose them over Sardar," he added.

Of the four midfielders has picked for CWG, there are two experienced hands in captain Manpreet and Chinglensana, but there are an equal number of youngsters: 18-year-old Vivek Sagar Prasad, who made his international debut earlier this year in the New Zealand tour, and 21-year-old Sumit.

Young blood has, thus, been preferred over the aging legs of Sardar.

"One of the key points in Indian hockey is speed," Marijne said. "It's not that the only reason he (Sardar) hasn't been picked is that he's not fast enough, there are more reasons why we don't pick players. But, speed is an important aspect when it comes to Indian hockey."

Marijne said age wasn't a big factor for ignoring Sardar and yet, by giving the example of the 33-year-old Australian Mark Knowles, who will quit international hockey after the CWG, the coach has dropped ample hints.

"If you see someone like Mark Knowles, he is still playing for Australia. But even he is going to stop after the Commonwealth Games," Marijne said.

To make matters worse for Sardar, the Dutchman will cut the size of the core group from 33 to 24 after the CWG to focus solely on Asian Games in August and the World Cup in November-December.

With Marijne confirming that the 18 players picked for CWG will be a part of that elite group, the window is getting smaller by the day for Sardar. And so is his ray of hope of donning that India jersey for a bit longer.

Ramandeep too axed in 'tough decision'

The decision to ignore Ramandeep Singh has come as more of a surprise than the sidelining of Sardar Singh. The 24-year-old forward performed decently in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – he scored a brace against Australia in India's 2-4 loss – and was in good goal-scoring form even in the New Zealand tour before that. However, with the likes of SV Sunil, Akashdeep Singh and Mandeep Singh making a comeback and youngsters Gurjant Singh and Dilpreet Singh finding more favour, Ramandeep is bound to feel a little hard done by. "Ramandeep did really well in the New Zealand tour, and in a few matches at the Azlan Shah. He's a great player, and it was a tough decision. But he needs to keep working on his form," coach Sjoerd Marijne said.

This is the best mixture of players: Marijne

After a number of tournaments of experimenting with different players and combinations, normal order has been restored with the return of a lot of familiar faces into the squad for the Commonwealth Games. This will be goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's first big tournament after a return from a knee injury, while regulars like Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, captain Manpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh, SV Sunil, Akashdeep Singh will all make a comeback after being rested for the Azlan Shah. Coach Sjoerd Marijne said that the process of experimentation, that was taking place in the last four tournaments, will not stop. "From all the tournaments that we tried players in, we think this is the best mixture of players and the best combination going forward," Marijne said.

Squad

Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh, Suraj KarkeraDefenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh Kadangbam, Gurinder Singh, Amit RohidasMidfielders: Manpreet Singh(C), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (VC), Sumit, Vivek Sagar PrasadForwards: Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh

Daily News & Analysis



Argentina and Canada remain undefeated on Day 2 (Men)

Mexico (Group A) and Brazil (Group B) in top two of pool standings


ARG vs. PAR. Photo: Mariano Avila

The Pan Am Youth Championship 2018 resumed on day 2 with Argentina looking to retain their top spot in the pool standings when they played Paraguay. Great defending from Paraguay held off Argentina nicely in the first half, with only 1 goal scoring against them. Argentina’s remarkable display of skills and organization helped them to get through the Paraguayan defence in the second half to score 5 more goals; three of which came from Pedro Inaudi.

Mexico came out hard at Guatemala, putting the goalkeeper under tremendous pressure from the powerful shots taken at goal repeatedly. Mexico scored 11 goals while Guatemala scored 1, courtesy of Captain, Carlos Villatoro.

Canada managed to finish the game with a 3-0 win over Jamaica after a goalless first half. Jamaica’s Travis Gilfillian was excellent in the goal, but Isaac Farion, Ganga Singh and Rowan Childs found a way to ensure Canada end the day on top.

Brazil bounced back today to close day 2 at the top of their pool standings with Canada. Matheus Oliveira scored against Dominican Republic in the 6th minute to get the scoring started. Brazil finished the game with 4 goals.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Four straight wins for Argentina, Uruguay remains in top two despite first defeat (Women)

Paraguay improves performance on Day 2


URU vs. ARG. Photo: Mariano Avila

Uruguay opened Day 2 of the 2018 Youth Pan Am Championship with a win over Guatemala. Lucia Dieste and Pilar Oliveros both scoring hattricks to assist in a  final score of 13 goals to 0.

Next up was Paraguay and Jamaica. With both teams failing to score yesterday, they came out in high spirits hoping to brighten day 2. The first goal came in the 8th minute from Agustina Sanchez and by the 17th minute the score was 4-0. Seychelle Doyley came shortly after to score a consolation goal for Jamaica and make it 4-1.

Argentina recorded yet another win when they played Mexico who lost for the first time. The Mexican defence worked hard to keep Argentina out but they managed to get 6 pass the goalkeeper. Mexico’s lone goal came from Carla Ramírez.

Paraguay won their second match of day 2 when they played Guatemala. Veronica Roa scored as early as the first minute then returned in the 12th minute with another goal. Xiomara Flores responded 3 minutes later to score Guatemala’s first goal of the competition. Ana Samudio and Maria Rodriguez took the score to 5-1.

Uruguay suffered their first defeat at the hands of Argentina who scored 4 goals in the first half and doubled the score in the second half. Celina Di Santos of Argentina now leads the goalscoring table with 11 goals after scoring 2 in this fixture.

Karla Sosa scored 3 goals to help Mexico achieve their 5-goal win over Jamaica in the final match of the day. Mexico currently stands in 3rd place on 9 point with Uruguay who leads on goal difference.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Junior USMNT Squads Show Massive Strides in First Two Test Games Against


Images Taken by Esteban Araya

SANTIAGO, Chile - Following extensive travel to the playing site, both the U.S. U-16 and U-19 Men's National Teams hit the pitch with intensity in Santiago, Chile against the country's junior squads. Beginning on Sunday, March 11 with a rigorous training session, the teams impressed Junior U.S. Men's National Teams Head Coach Rutger Wiese and his staff, demonstrating passion and versatility in their first and second matches of the five-game test-series.

Monday, March 11, 2018
 
U-16 USMNT 0 - 9 Chile
 
The young U-16 USMNT team took to the field in good spirits and were up for the challenge from their Chilean counterparts. Nerves were present in the squad's first international matchup from the get-go among the red, white and blue players while Chile took advantage early on in the opening frame with a penalty corner in the 4th minute. USA goalkeeper Russell Smith (Camarillo, Calif.) successfully deflected another penalty corner attempt moments later, but another surge by the Chile offense yielded a field goal to make it 2-0 in the 8th minute. USA continued to be pressed defensively as Chile's offense converted another field goal to round out the first quarter.

A more organized USA team took to the field to begin the second quarter, resulting in far greater possession and creating more scoring chances than the previous 15 minutes of play. USA stopped two more penalty corner chances by Chile before the halftime break. The 21st minute then saw a shot by Gerald Cutone (Reading, Mass.), with a follow up attempt by Namit Mangat (Glendale, Ariz.), which were both denied by Chile's goalkeeper. Another field goal by the host nation ended the half with the score 4-0.

Rafael Martell (Miami, Fla.) stepped in to see action in net for USA in the second half. The rest of U-16 USMNT continuously rotated positions as the coaching staff evaluated performances in different spots throughout the remainder of the match. It also provided critical information on positioning and strategy as USA maintained composure allowing a lone score in the third quarter during the shuffling process. A hard shot and score by Chile in the 46th minute shook loose momentum gathered by USA from a successful quarter. Moments later, USA denied a penalty corner attempt, but Chile was swift to knock in the rebound to make the score 6-0. Chile then netted three additional field goals before the final horn sounded, signaling the 9-0 defeat.


 
U-19 USMNT 0 - 4 Chile
 
Like their younger counterparts, Chile was a fast-attacking squad from the opening whistle, not giving the U-19 USMNT time to settle in at all while scoring the opening goal in the 2nd minute. USA settled down defensively the following few minutes and began moving the ball quicker around the backend, which kept Chile at bay. Building through the back also allowed USA to stage a few attacks and enter the Chile circle a handful of times in the first quarter. While none of those chances resulted in goals, USA was equally as effective defensively the remainder of the quarter denying Chile on a pair of penalty corner chances.
 
Goals by Chile in the second frame were the result of breakdowns near midfield by USA. After a field goal by Chile in the 18th minute, Christian DeAngelis (Doylestown, Pa.) chased a ball down the line and connected with Vincent Heller (Stuttgart, Germany) at the top of the circle. Heller then made a turn on the ball to get off a reverse shot only to see itbounce off the cross bar. Chile then responded on the other end with two penalty corner chances, converting on the second one, to make the score 3-0 at halftime.

Another scoring opportunity for USA came later in the second half when Garry Singh (Corona, Calif.) made a great run from just inside the Chilean half, taking on defenders and getting into the circle where he came up short of finishing the play to score for USA.

    "This is exactly what any good program needs," said Wiese. "It needs a solid junior program where our boys start to gain experience, start to learn about high performance hockey and all the ups and down that are associated with it. The boys need to learn about travel, fatigue, diets, pre-tour training, fitness and more fitness. All these key pieces when sorted out will lead to the ultimate goal of producing results."


 
Tuesday, March 12, 2018

U-16 USMNT 0 - 3 Chile

With a chip on their shoulder having competed in their first international match, the U-16 USMNT appeared full of energy and refreshed with a game plan revisited as they hit the pitch in the second game in as many days. After a quick turnover by Chile, USA breached the Chile 25 yard line and attacked the circle. Catching Chile off guard, the play set the tone for the game that USA was there to play. The host nation responded to this initial spark of energy by applying pressure on USA's defense as quick as their offensive press. It was clear the nerves were not nearly as evident as USA stuck to their assignments and began clearing and finding outlets. Despite this, Chile was not without their own scoring chances in the first quarter with three penalty corner opportunities, which were all denied by USA, leaving the score deadlocked 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter again saw the USA squad getting up field more than the day before and showing positive signs. Unfortunately the half ended with a controversial Chile goal that hit the far post after being shot from the left side of the circle and bounced toward the sideline. Ultimately, the play was signaled as a goal from the umpire, giving Chile the 1-0 lead at the break.
USA came into the second half on the defensive end as Chile was able to penetrate the circle multiple times. Smith stood tall in net for USA, fighting off multiple shots on goal and additional circle penetrations. Although Smith's efforts fueled USA's momentum, Chile was able to pocket a field goal in the 36th minute to make it 2-0.
 
Smith continued to impress in the final quarter, starting with a sprawling stick save in front of the net in the first minute. Chile managed to score another field goal in the final minutes to make it 3-0 as USA's intensity took a major step from game one.

U-19 USMNT 0 - 4 Chile
 
A determined U-19 USMNT stepped on the field set on improving and it showed right away. USA matched Chile move for move in the opening quarter as both teams went back and forth demonstrating striking speed and intensity on the ball. After a scoreless 15 minutes, Chile began applying more pressure in the second frame as holes in USA's defense began to show. In the 23rd minute Chile capitalized on a penalty corner opportunity, scoring on a drag flick for the opening score. The opposition followed up the goal moments later with a field goal to put USA at a 2-0 disadvantage. With time running out in the half, Amrinderpal Singh (Corona, Calif.) took the shot from a USA penalty corner chance, which was blocked by Chile's goalkeeper.
 
The third quarter saw an offense that was once again relentless and put pressure on Chile's circle by entering over a dozen times with nearly as many shots on goal. During this series of risky counter attacks, USA earned another penalty corner but did not result in a score. Chile then responded with a field goal just over a minute later to make it 3-0, putting USA back on their heels the remainder of the quarter. That continued through the first part of the final quarter with Chile adding to the scoreboard off another field goal. In the final minutes USA applied pressure once again, earning multiple penalty corner chances, but could not get the ball across the goal line. As the final horn sounded, Wiese debriefed a much different and intense team from the night prior.

Both teams will practice Tuesday, March 13 before returning to the pitch for the third game of the test series on Wednesday. Stay tuned and check back at usafieldhockey.com for updates and game recaps all throughout the series.

USFHA media release



Passmore Names U21 Squad For America Series

Irish U21 Women’s Head Coach David Passmore has selected a large squad to play against America in three matches to be hosted by St Gerard’s School in Bray later this month.  Passmore has opted for a large squad given the placement in the domestic calendar with the fixture congestion caused by the number of postponements due to the weather.  Passmore noted “it is great that the America squad have chosen Ireland to visit at this time as it will allow us to assess a large number of players over the three matches.  We are delighted that St Gerard’s have agreed to host these matches at their excellent facilities and we thank them for that”.

The squad sees a number of new faces to the international scene including Jenny Clein and Hannah Humphries from UCC.  Other young additions include Emma Young who has impressed during her first season at UCD and top sprinter Niamh Gowing who has been in form this year for Mount Anville School.  Commenting on the selection Passmore commented that “I have watched a number of Inter-varsity, school and club matches and also taken on board suggestions from the coaches themselves and we are still assessing a number of players.  We have included the likes of Rebecca Mercer from Belfast Harlequins who we did not get the opportunity to see before and who has impressed with her club.  It is important that the door remains open for all players and we have included over 40 athletes during our early training sessions this year”.

The three match series starts on Sunday 25th March with further matches on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th with Passmore expected to rotate the squad.  “It is great to play against the States who will unquestionably bring a fit and athletic squad that will test our young players.  It is only through these types of series that players can really be viewed from an international perspective to see if the can cope with the speed of the game both physically and in their ability to make good decisions under pressure”.  The importance of having quality programmes in all years of player’s development is crucial and the matches provide an ideal opportunity to start the U21 programme building towards the European Nations Championship next year.  Passmore also revealed that the squad will be expanded to U23 during June and July including a six nations tournament in Antwerp in Belgium which allows for up to six players aged between 21-23.  “Our programmes have to be about player development as well as team development and the tournament will provide the opportunity for any players stuck between U21 and senior squads, or on the periphery of the senior squad to have more international exposure”.  With the likes of India, The Netherlands and Great Britain U23s in the tournament it will be a tough task.  The U21s also have two matches series against England U21s now coached by former men’s boss Paul Revington including a three match series in Belfast in August when any U18 players can join the group for the first time.

Ireland U21 v USA

1, Jade  Arundell (GK), North Kildare
2, Michelle Barry, Cork Harlequins
3, Ava Beatty, Monkstown Hermes
4, Rachel Burns, Trinity
5, Sally Campbell, Trinity
6, Clodagh Cassin (GK), UCD
7, Jenny Clein, UCC
8, Ellen Curran (Co Captain), UCD
9, Alanah Doyle, Ards
10, Katherine Egan, UCD
11, Erin Getty (Co Captain), Queens
12, Niamh Gowing, Muckross
13, Laura Foley, Catholic Institute
14, Tori Hastings, Queens
15 Nina, Heisterkamp, Railway Union
16, Hannah  Humphries (GK), UCC
17 Hannah  Irwin, Ulster Elks
18 Erica Markey, Trinity
19, Grace McLoughlin, Railway Union
20, Hannah McLoughlin Loreto
21, Jessica McMaster, Queens
22, Rebecca Mercer, Belfast Harlequins
23, Lizzie Murphy (GK), Monkstown Hermes
24, Abigail Russell (Vice Captain), UCD
25, Holly Taggart, Ballymena
26, Sarah Torrans, Loreto
27, Emma Young, UCD

Provisional match times against USA:

Sun 25 March 15:30, Tues 27 March 16:30 and Weds 28 March 14:30 (match times are provisional and may change)

U21 (and U23) Programme 2018

25-28 March - Three match U21 series v USA U21s at St Gerard’s School, Bray
15-17 June - Two match U21 series v England U21s at Lilleshall NSC
29- June – 1 July - Three match U23 series v Wales Development at Trinity Sports Grounds, Santry, Dublin
14-21 July - U23 Alternative World Cup Tournament in Antwerp
9-12 August - Three match U21 series v England U21 in Belfast (venue TBC)

Irish Hockey Association media release



Dragons keep pressure on Ducks at top of Belgian league


©: World Sport Pics

KHC Dragons produced an excellent performance to show they are bang in form with a 4-0 win at Racing Club de Bruxelles last Sunday.

The result keeps Dragons within touching distance of pace-setters the Waterloo Ducks while also putting nine points between them and Racing who sit in fourth place.

It took just 50 seconds for Florent van Aubel to put Dragons in front and Robbert Rubbens doubled the lead three minutes before the break. An Alexander Hendrickx corner and another van Aubel goal saw them race away.

The loss for Racing means they are still in a dog-fight with La Gantoise – who lost 1-0 to third placed Leopold – and the rising Braxgata who were 4-3 winners over Beerschot.

The WatDucks scored another big win when they hit Daring for six with Elliot Van Strydonck , Maxime Capelle (2), Victor Charlet (pc), Gauthier Boccard (pc) and Romain Penelle all scoring.

Herakles picked up a 2-1 win over Leuven, coming back from a goal down to a Pepe Romeu corner with Anthony van Stratum equalising before Nico de Kerpel won the game from the last corner of the tie.

Euro Hockey League media release



Spar KZN School Girls’ Hockey


Charllene Boshoff flies off her feet as she fires in a shot during a short corner against PMB Girls’ High School. Boshoff and her St John’s DSG team made it to the finals of the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional of the Spar KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday at Girls’ High.PHOTO: Jonathan Burton

THE second tournament of the Spar KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge in South Africa welcomes a new regional winner after Epworth School dethroned the defending champions in the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional that took place at Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School on March 10.

Epworth School took on defending champs, St John’s DSG, in the first pool game of the day and in the final. At the end of both whistles, the scoreline was unchanged with neither team managing to net a goal. In both, St John’s held slightly more possession, firing off a handful of unsuccessful chances not finding the back of the net.

In the main game, the hanging result went to a penalty shoot out with three players from each team lining up in an attempt to seal the win for their team. St John’s DSG bravely stepped up first, with Christin Stubbs’ attack shaving the outside of the post. Epworth’s Tayla-Jade Weiss stepped up to the plate, charging forward and edging the ball into the goals. In a replay of their first attempt, St John’s second shot taken by Laiken Peters sadly also shaved the outside of the upright. Epworth’s Emma-Jane Smythe advanced determinedly, drawing the St John’s keeper Courtney Dyssell right, and successfully rolling the ball under Courtney’s defensive dive.

In the final round of the eight second penalties, both attempts didn’t find the back of the box. The final score was 2-0 in Epworth’s favour.

Coach for Epworth, Kegan Walters, said: “This was my first time coaching the team and within this tournament, so I am very pleased with their win. This is a new team with loads of talent and enthusiasm, and we are getting to a point where we are playing exciting hockey.

“They fared very well, considering this was their second time playing together, after a tough match against St Mary’s on Thursday last week. We are hoping that loads of positive things come from this.”

St John’s DSG coach Lyndall “Binks” Robertson said: “The team played positively, but at the end of the day you have to put the ball in the back of the box. I was pleased with how they played, it was a good pre-season start and we are excited about the league season ahead.”

The tournament had the format of pool games, with the top two teams of both pools squaring off in the semi-finals. First up were 2017 winners St John’s, who met Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School. Girls’ High has dominated the region, winning the title six consecutive times since it’s inception. Paige McGladdery from St John’s knocked in the only goal, advancing her team to the finals.

In the second semi, Epworth took on Howick High School. Emma- Ane Smythe and Emily Cobbald both netted goals for their team, Epworth, with the final whistle resulting in a 2-0 win.

In total, 68 goals were scored in the 12 pool games that lasted 25 minutes each, with a change over after 12 minutes.

Stars of the day were newcomers Newton High School who in their defeat showed magnificent team spirit throughout the day.

Most Promising Umpire was awarded to Howick High School’s May Mazibuko. A very strict Mazibuko officiated the final in fine fashion, flashing a green card in the second half.

Epworth School joins winners of the Northern KZN Regional, Ferrum High School, the first team to advance through to the grand finals. The next tournament takes place at 3 Schools Trust this weekend, with St Henry’s hosting the Durban Central Regional.

RESULTS:

1 Epworth School
2 St John’s DSG
3 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School
3 Howick High School
5 Alexandra High School
6 Russell High School
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Hockey Pro League workshop highlights global progress


All 11 Hockey Pro League nations joined FIH in Evian, France last week

Between 6-11 March 2018, all nations taking part in the Hockey Pro League joined International Hockey Federation (FIH) staff in Evian, France for updates and workshops in preparation for the new competition which begins in January 2019.

Representatives from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, China, Great Britain/England, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan (with Scotland), Spain and USA were all present.

There they received updates from FIH's Broadcast and Commercial teams which were important for National Associations as they progress discussions with potential partners on a local level over the coming months.

As part of this, FIH provided important financial information based on a number of updates across all areas of the organisation.

The majority of the workshop involved two way engagement, with National Associations sharing their plans with the FIH, with venue selection and commercial activities, including ticket sale launches, key indicators of the progress being made.

It was also an important opportunity for the teams to provide feedback on a number of areas including League management, regulations, rules and marketing activities ahead of what will be a crucial few months in the lead up to the first match on 19 January 2018.

The content presented by both the FIH and National Associations indicates that considerable progress is being made across all areas, and whilst there is a still a huge amount of work to undertake, a unified, collaborative approach continues to drive forward to development of this new competition.

Speaking about the workshop, FIH Interim CEO Delf Ness said: "It was an extremely productive week with our National Associations where we were able to align our efforts as we progress into a crucial phase of the League's implementation."

He continued: "This was a hugely important opportunity for both FIH and the participating teams to share progress with one another. It was incredibly encouraging to see the amount of positive energy from all stakeholders, which further enhances our excitement ahead of the League launch next year."

With a number of conference calls and webinars taking place each month, and further face to face workshops planned between FIH and the National Associations, stakeholders will be kept up to date with all the latest Hockey Pro League developments.

For more information on the Hockey Pro League, click here.

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