News for 08 May 2016
All the news for Sunday 8 May 2016
India women's team lose series after third consecutive defeat to England
Marlow: The Indian women's hockey team lost the five-match series against Great Britain after going down 1-2 to the home side in the third game on Friday.
The third match began on an even note. The visitors looked the dominant side through the first quarter. But the home side began to exert pressure as the quarter went on and opened the scoring in the 15th minute. Legh scored the first goal for Great Britain. In the opening minutes of the second quarter Britain won a penalty corner and converted it via Cullen to go 2-0 up. They kept the scoreboard intact leading into half time.
As the third quarter of the match started, India won a penalty corner in the 32nd minute but were denied by the British defense. The Indian eves still managed to net a goal and ended the quarter trailing by a single goal. Grace scored the goal for India.
There were no further goals added in the fourth quarter as the match ended with a scoreline of 2-1.
Speaking after the game Chief Coach Neil Hawgood said, "It was a much improved performance by us. The team played as a unit and worked on the errors from their second match. It's an improvement."
Great Britain defeated the Ritu Rani-led side comprehensively in the opening two games, with even clinching a 6-0 win over the visitors in the second match.
India will play their fourth match of the series on Sunday.
DNA
Kampong claim ticket to 2016/17 EHL
Picture: Sander de Wijn/Instagram
SV Kampong became the latest side to stamp their ticket to the 2016/17 Euro Hockey League thanks to a 4-2 win over HGC, their second win over the Hague-based club in three days in the playoffs.
Boet Phijffer gave the Utrecht club the lead with a sharp forehand shot in th 21st minute before the Gazelles, smarting from a 5-1 loss in the first leg, fought back.
Gonzalo Peillat – their weapon of choice – fired home an equaliser early in the second half from a corner and Rik van Kan gave HGC the lead at 2-1 in the 41st minute.
But Kampong finished much the stronger. Tip-in expert Philip Meulenbroek levelled the game for a second time art 2-1 before HGC’s resistance was broken in the closing 12 minutes.
Rob Kemperman put Kampong in front at 3-2 before Constantijn Jonker’s goal with five minutes to go sealed the deal. With two wins out of two, they claim third place in the Netherlands, bringing with it an EHL Round 1 ticket for 2016/17.
It is the perfect build-up for the EHL FINAL4 which sees Kampong take on Atletic Terrassa in Barcelona next Saturday in their first ever EHL semi-final.
Euro Hockey League media release
Tuks unbeaten but disappointed with performance
By Ken Borland
The University of Pretoria are unbeaten after their opening two games of Varsity Hockey, having beaten the University of Cape Town 2-0 on Saturday at the University of Johannesburg, but Tuks will be slightly disappointed with the way they laboured to victory in a game they dominated.
Tuks just couldn’t get their ball-speed up and did not use the whole width of the field as effectively as they had in beating Kovsies 5-2 on the opening day, and their penalty-corner also struggled to convert, scrambling in just one goal from nine attempts.
UCT are a young side lacking the handful of star players some of the sides have and, although they ran gallantly, they barely troubled Hendrik Kriek in the Tuks goal.
Tuks coach Guy Elliot will be investigating the breakdown in their penalty-corner routine, with the side failing to even get a shot in from their first four attempts. Grant Glutz eventually got a flick away in the 11th minute but it was well wide of the goals.
The Capetonians took the powerplay in the 15th minute but nearly conceded at the other end as Nduduzo Lembethe, the player of the match, broke clear for Tuks but couldn’t get past the UCT goalkeeper, Matthew Becker. The first UCT short-corner came in the 24th minute after a good run by Walter Pfaff, the SA U21 player and the most potent threat going forward for his team, but the shot was well-saved by Michael Marki, the rock of the Tuks defence.
Tuks took the powerplay in the 26th minute, but the opening goal came just after that window of double value when Becker came charging out of the goal and into the back of Nicholas Berichon, the Tuks captain. Although the offence happened far away from goal, in the back left of the circle, it was a deliberate infringement and the umpire awarded the penalty stroke. Glutz was the man to put Tuks 1-0 up just before halftime.
A dour third quarter was marked only by Tuks’ second goal, scrambled in after a short-corner by Kewan Harries. UCT threatened just once in the final chukka, through a short-corner after a good, quick breakout, but it was once again Tuks who created the better opportunities.
UCT has now lost both their games and face an uphill task in trying to make the semi-finals when Varsity Hockey moves to Stellenbosch next weekend.
FNB Player of the Match: Nduduzo Lemberthe (Tuks)
Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Ian Druce (UCT)
Samsung Super Striker: Grant glutz (Tuks)
Varsity Sports media release
Wits show that they will be strong challengers in win over Madibaz
By Ken Borland
The University of the Witwatersrand showed that they will be strong challengers for the Varsity Hockey men’s title currently held by hosts the University of Johannesburg as they beat the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 5-2 on Saturday.
Wits had the first say on the scoreboard as Brandon James tapped in from a Chad Futcher pass in the eighth minute, but the Port Elizabeth students nearly grabbed the equaliser in the 11th minute were it not for a good save at the short-corner by Quinton Kernot, the Wits goalkeeper.
The first quarter ended with Wits 1-0 up, but the scores were leveled just two minutes into the second chukka as the attacking skills of Ignatius Malgraff saw him break clear and Kevin Carroll got on the end of the cross from the international to poke it into goal.
Wits regained the lead in the 21st minute as Futcher, who ruled the midfield and was named the player of the match, squeezed the ball through the goalkeeper’s pads with a powerful, low flick from the short-corner.
There was disappointment for Madibaz in the 26th minute when Malgraff got on the end of a cross, but Kernot roared up quickly to close his space and the striker shot wide.
Madibaz again nearly equalised just after halftime when Malgraff again ripped through the often vulnerable Wits defence, but Kermot pulled off another excellent save and Jaryd Thomas tidied up off the line.
Futcher again came close to scoring from a 40th-minute short-corner but Grant Kapp glanced his flick away. But Wits continued to press and a searing run by Darren Till split the defence. He missed his reverse-sticks shot but the ball rolled on to Kamal Ramburuth-Hurt, who built the lead to 3-1 with a clinical finish.
Two goals for Sean Donaldson in the last three minutes saw Wits stroll to victory. The first goal came after a great long diagonal ball from Thabang Modise to Rusten Abrahams, whose half-saved shot fell to Donaldson to finish off.
Captain Stuart Philip then did great work to draw and beat the goalkeeper before passing to Donaldson to complete the scoring.
Malgraff scored in-between those two strikes with a breakaway goal but the spoils deservedly went to Wits.
FNB Player of the Match: Chad Futcher (Wits)
Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Quinton Kernot (Wits)
Samsung Super Striker: Kamal Ramburuth-Hurt (Wits)
Varsity Sports media release
Maties never hit top gear but cruise to victory
By Ken Borland
Stellenbosch University cruised to a 4-0 victory over the University of the Free State on the second day of Varsity Hockey at the University of Johannesburg on Saturday.
Maties never really hit top gear, but for them it seemed more like they were taking the car for a Sunday afternoon drive rather than racing around a racetrack.
They took 21 minutes to score their first goal as Kovsies made a spirited start to the game, but the 2014 runners-up had wrapped up the win with a 3-0 lead less than half-an-hour later as they upped their intensity and accuracy in the second half.
Kovsies tied Maties down well in the first quarter, with just a couple of half-chances not taken by Dayne Samboer and Keenan Horne, while Loufrans Esterhuizen was on song in the UFS goal.
Ironically, Maties made it on to the scoreboard in the Kovsies powerplay as Alex Stewart beat a couple of defenders with an excellent dribble, moved the ball on to his reverse-sticks side and fired home a fine finish.
Just before halftime, Maties earned a short-corner and Daniel Bell’s shot was saved off the line by Jaco van der Watt, but the ball rebounded a couple of yards off his stick and Stellenbosch captain Dylan Swanepoel popped it into goal for a 2-0 lead.
Swanepoel then turned provider in the 49th minute as he drove strongly to the baseline and flipped the ball back, Horne receiving the pass and slotting a super reverse-sticks shot.
Maties grabbed their fourth goal with just two minutes remaining as Luke Schooling penetrated the circle and unselfishly laid off for Shannon Boucher to score.
FNB Player of the Match: Charles Bowren (Maties)
Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Loufrans Esterhuizen (Kovsies)
Samsung Super Striker: Keenan Horne (Maties)
Varsity Sports media release
Disruptive Pukke defence not enough to deny unfocused UJ
By Ken Borland
The North-West University Pukke ran great lines of interference and tackled like demons as they held defending champions and hosts the University of Johannesburg to just a 4-2 victory in their Varsity Hockey match on Saturday.
Pukke were hammered 8-3 by Wits on the first day and UJ were expected to post a similar scoreline as they looked to edge ahead of their neighbours at the top of the log on goal-difference. But UJ gave an unfocused display, marked by lapses in concentration, and they never managed to get any rhythm in the final game of the second day of the men’s Varsity Hockey competition.
With a star-studded line-up, UJ were just crying out for someone to spark them, but nothing happened until the start of the final quarter when they were finally inspired by Southern Gauteng B player Gerald Mpopo, who produced big plays on defence and attack that led to the crucial goal by Ryan Crowe that took UJ from a dicey 3-2 up to their eventual 4-2 winning margin.
A fine run by Crowe, finished by a good reverse-sticks shot by Nicolas Rowe, opened the scoring for UJ in the seventh minute and Pukke’s chances looked up the pole just two minutes later when Kingsley Botes went on a fine run down the left and then cut inside to the top of the D and fired home to make it 2-0.
It was a short-lived advantage, however, as Pukke struck back with a superb goal – a magnificent reverse-sticks strike by Killian Ludick into the roof of the net two minutes before the end of the first quarter.
UJ scored next though, just two minutes after the restart, although it was an unfortunate goal for Pukke to concede. Another tremendous run by Crowe set up a short-corner, but Stean Naude did superb work clearing a couple of shots off the line until his goalkeeper, Lyndan Schutte, unfortunately stumbled backwards and the ball bounced off his back and into goal! James Gilbert was credited with getting the last touch for UJ.
Schutte made up for it though with some superb saves in the rest of the third quarter and, combined with the tough tackling of the defenders, leaving the UJ dribblers with sore shins and dented pride, it meant the hosts went into the final quarter frustrated with a 3-1 lead.
And they would see that cut to 3-2 four minutes into the last chukka when their ball-watching defence allowed Gertjie Lamprecht too much space. The experienced North-West men’s player had time to pick his spot and, as he ran from left to right in the circle, he fired a great shot into the far corner.
UJ needed an inspirational figure and it was Mpopo.
Firstly, he hassled Pukke with tremendous determination in defence, forcing them into losing possession. From there UJ motored into the Pukke circle and Mpopo, strong and composed on the ball, drew the short-corner.
Themba Twani, a gutsy defender for Pukke, took a blow to the head as he deflected the first shot, but UJ remained on attack. Mpopo then produced a lovely swerve to beat a defender and a pinpoint pass to Crowe, who provided a top-class finish into the top corner.
Pukke were 4-2 down and they were left with a mountainous task when two players were yellow-carded for over-robust tackles in the last 10 minutes, although just the thin frame of Courtney Halle’s stick stood between them and a third goal when he stopped an aerial shot in the goalmouth.
Needing to win by seven goals to go above Wits on the log, it was a night of lean pickings for UJ and they certainly did not look the Mean Machine of the previous evening when they beat Maties.
FNB Player of the Match: Gerald Mpopo (UJ)
Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Lyndan Schutte (Pukke)
Samsung Super Striker: Ryan Crowe (UJ)
Varsity Sports media release
MHL: Competitions Committee needs 10 days
By Jugjet Singh
THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Competitions Committee still needs 10 more days to decide if the planned Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) would be held smack in the middle of the Olympics, or changed to a later date.
In an earlier calender drawn up by the Competitions Committee, the MHL is slated to be held in August, but teams are crying fault, as they will not be able to secure foreign players form the top-twelve countries in the world who would be playing in Rio de Janeiro.
The MHL teams would only be able to sign second stringers, and players from countries which did not qualify for the Olympics.
"The Competitions Committee discussed about the MHL issue, and said they needed at least 10 days more to decide either to stick with August, or find an alternative date for it," said MHC CEO K. Logan Raj.
The meeting also decided that Division Two teams also can hire foreign players, if they want.
However, from the traditional MHL foreign list, only Pakistan, South Korea and Japan did not qualify for the Olympics and their players would be available for the MHL.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian women's team lost their seventh friendly on the Japan Tour.
It was the sixth match against the Japan Juniors, and the Malaysian senior women lost 2-0.
But despite the losing spree, women's coach K. Dharmaraj said his charges played extremely well.
"The team played a really good match, their best of the series thus far. We have 12 girls in this team who are Under 21 so the age difference with Japan isn't nearly as far as one would assume.
"Last year, Malaysia were thrashed by the bigger teams at the Junior Women's Asia Cup. Now, a majority of the same players are competitive against the No 1 and No 2 junior teams in Asia.
"There is visible progress, but we are still a good way off where we aspire to be", he explained.
Coach Dharmaraj's players beat Japan Juniors A 3-2 in the morning and held Japan Juniors B 2-2 in the evening of May 3, but their next back-to-back matches turned out to be drubbings.
They lost 2-0 to Japan Juniors A and Nanto Bank Japan 5-0 in matches played in Wednesday morning and evening.
And on Thursday, they played two more back-to-back matches and lost 2-1 to Japan Juniors and 5-1 to Japan Juniors A.
Malaysia will play two more games before returning home on May 10.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Razak Cup to have two-group format
By S. Ramaguru
KUALA LUMPUR: A two-group format will be used for the men’s event at the Razak Cup hockey tournament in Kuala Lumpur from May 20-29.
Defending champions Malacca have Pahang, Johor and newly-promoted Police for company in Division One’s Group A.
Perak, last year’s runners-up, head Group B. They will be joined by Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan and Terengganu.
Division Two will also have two groups. Group A has Selangor, Perlis, Kedah and Penang while Kelantan, Armed Forces, Sarawak and Sabah are in Group B.
The 16-team draw for the two divisions was made by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) competitions committee on Saturday.
Competitions committee chairman George Koshy said they had to discard the round-robin format due to the short duration of the tournament.
“Under the two-group format, each team will play a total of five matches during the nine days of competition,” he said.
George added that each participating team – men and women – would be given a RM5,000 grant.
“The men’s Division One champions will receive RM10,000 while the second and third-placed teams will get RM7,000 and RM5,000.
“The Division Two and women’s champions will take home RM5,000 each,” said George, adding that the four-quarter format would be used for all the matches.
The Star of Malaysia
Kayla taking baby steps
Motivated by medal close shave, Kayla Whitelock is heading to her fourth Olympics.
By Rikki Swannell
Kayla Whitelock has been back in action for New Zealand since early this year, after giving birth to daughter Addison in April last year. Photo / Getty Images
A hockey player's kit bag is not just sticks and shin pads. Just for defending penalty corners there are mouth guards, cricket gloves and masks.
But Kayla Whitelock's luggage when she journeys to August's Rio Olympics will also include less high-performance items - nappies, formula, bottles and dummies.
Whitelock had her first child, with husband George, the former Crusaders loose forward, only last year and Whitelock has already made a return to the Black Sticks.
Baby Addison is already well travelled. She went to Argentina with Whitelock in February for New Zealand's tour when only eight months old.
It's an extraordinary scenario but also an illustration of what is possible in modern sport.
Many netballers have returned to the sport after having children but netball's season is much shorter - hockey doesn't really stop - and the travel more limited.
Whitelock didn't know if she would return to top-level hockey after having Addison but the lure of a fourth Olympics proved too hard to resist.
And she has found she can manage it with a baby in tow.
Admittedly, Whitelock is a special player. The 30-year-old has represented New Zealand nearly 250 times and is likely to regain the captaincy.
She is recognised as one of the world's best players and is a shoo-in for Rio selection.
New Zealand Hockey have been supportive in making it work for Whitelock and her child.
"We kept in communication quite early on," she says. "They were looking to try to get me back a little bit earlier but I wasn't ready physically and probably mentally.
"Just the logistical side, they've helped out organising stuff and been a huge help in terms of support.
"They've given me numbers to ring some of the netball girls to see how it works on tour and we just talked about it once we got away."
February's Argentina tour was the perfect opportunity to see if it would work. Whitelock returned fitter and mentally stronger than ever.
The earlier break had allowed her to rehab some ailments and, when she returned to training, she wanted to prove she deserved to be there. She wanted to show you can be a mum and a top-level athlete. She also tested what she needed on tour.
"It was unreal," she says. "Packing started a week earlier. Addison came over with my mum and all the gear. I think I had the least gear ever going on tour and she had everything else. It is tough, but management and Hockey New Zealand have been great in allowing me to take her on tour. She got a bit sick on the way over, which was interesting, but in the end, it was fine.
"We didn't want her to be a distraction. I was more worried about her waking up in the night and waking the rest of the girls, but no one seemed to hear her, except for me of course.
"She travelled well in the end and the girls were really good and enjoyed having a little one around to break up the environment a little bit.
"In terms of game day, we kept Addison away from the group and focused on what we were there to do.
"On rest days, she'd be around and the girls would be straight into her room and playing with her. So I think the girls really enjoyed it, having someone else on tour.
"Addison is pretty easy going. If she was a nightmare, I think I'd struggle to come back. With the family support and the help, that's made it possible.
"There are tough times but it's been good so far."
What has helped is the fact the goal is tangible, with the Rio Olympics starting in three months. New Zealand are ranked fourth, behind the Netherlands, Argentina and Australia, but drew their six-game series in Argentina and won last month's Hawke's Bay eight-nations tournament. They went through that series unbeaten and beat Australia 3-2 in their semifinal.
They came agonisingly close to a medal at the 2012 London Olympics, falling to eventual gold medallists the Netherlands in a penalty shootout in their semifinal before a deflating 3-1 defeat to Great Britain in the bronze medal playoff.
Those events played a part in Whitelock's decision to return. "Just being so close in London, not quite getting that medal," she says.
"That would be a dream, getting a medal in Rio. I was watching the girls and seeing how they were going, and I think they were taking a good step in the right direction and I wanted to be part of it."
The New Zealand Herald