23 August 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the FIH Hockey Pro League participating nations are glad to confirm as below the venues that will be used for the fourth season of FIH’s global league for national teams – ‘Hockey at its Best’ – which will run from 28 October 2022 to 5 July 2023: Australia: Newcastle, Hobart Argentina: Mendoza, Santiago del Estero Belgium: Antwerp England: London India: Bhubaneswar, Rourkela Netherlands: Eindhoven, Amsterdam New Zealand: Christchurch, Wellington As already announced in March, a new schedule – based on a series of “mini-tournaments” where several teams will gather in one venue to play two matches against each other – will come into force for this new Pro League season. This format will have a major positive impact on players’ welfare and the environment, thanks to a substantial reduction in the amount of travel needed for each team and the officials. Another great advantage of this revised format is that it increases the number of dates available for athletes to compete in their domestic leagues and club competitions. Furthermore, this season will see the implementation of a promotion-relegation principle for the very first time, with the team finishing last being relegated, while the team winning the 2022 FIH Hockey Nations Cup – a new event – being promoted for the 2023-2024 Pro League season. FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “The integration of the promotion-relegation principle will substantially add to the excitement around Pro League. Also, the new format is beneficial to everyone, athletes, National Associations, clubs and fans in particular. We’re glad to welcome some new venues for this season; this is great for the growth of our sport! We’re very much looking forward to the fourth edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League!” The FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-2023 match schedule, including the match timings, is available here. #FIHProLeague #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

10 August 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England and a series of test matches between Poland, Austria and Chile have made some impact upon the FIH World Rankings among both the men’s and women’s nations. While there have been shifts and movements up and down the table, the top of the men’s and women’s rankings remains unaltered. Australia men, victors in Birmingham for the seventh consecutive time, are sitting at the top of the men’s rankings with 2851 points. Belgium (2742) and Netherlands (2646) are in second and third place. Germany (2340) men sit in fourth place, while a silver at the Commonwealth Games helped India (2294) maintain its position in fifth, just ahead of Commonwealth Games bronze medallists England (2158) in sixth. Argentina (2082) and Spain (1849) are in seventh and eighth position respectively, while New Zealand’s (1778) fifth place in Birmingham means the Black Sticks remain in ninth. Further down the table, South Africa men’s (1450) impressive fourth place finish at the Commonwealth Games sees them move to 14th, one place ahead of Canada (1421). Wales (1383) remain in 16th while Pakistan’s (1333) performances over the two week long competition sees them rooted to 18th spot. Scotland (1159) are also non-shifters in 21st position. Chile (959), Austria (1169) and Ireland (1469) are currently involved in a three-team test series. The results so far have favoured Ireland as the Green Army has moved from 14th to 13th. Austria remain in 19th place while Chile sit at 23rd. In the women’s rankings there is no movement in the top three. Netherlands (3155) continue to top the table as they have for the past decade. Argentina (2714) are in second placed with Australia (2589) in third after a silver medal win in Birmingham. England (2289), who won their first ever Commonwealth Games gold medal have jumped to fourth place, with Germany (2189), Belgium (2159) and Spain (2143) in fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. New Zealand’s (1995) fourth place finish hasn’t altered their position at eighth, and India (1953) are just behind in ninth position. China (1805) make up the top 10, ahead of Asian rivals Japan (1693) and Korea (1649). Canada’s (1421) performance in Birmingham helped them move up to 14th; Scotland (1224) are unmoved at 17th and South Africa (1151) remains at 20th in the rankings. Wales (961) dropped from 23rd to 24th. Kenya’s (604) first appearance at the Commonwealth Games saw then move up two place to 37th, after a win over neighbouring Ghana in the classification match. Ghana (684) drop one spot to 32nd. To see the complete FIH World Rankings, please click here. The rankings calculations model that FIH introduced on 1st January 2020 moved away from the previous tournament-based rankings system to a dynamic, match-based method where opposing teams exchange points in official, FIH sanctioned games. The number of points exchanged depends on the result of the match, the relative ranking of the teams and the importance of the match. More information about the new rankings model can be found below. How the FIH World Rankings work: The number of points exchanged depends on the result of the match, the relative ranking of the teams and the importance of the match. FIH World Rankings explained: Based on the Elo rating system, which is used as the basis of many other sports ranking systems When two nations play against each other, a number of ranking points are exchanged between them In every match, the number of points gained by one team is exactly matched by the number of points lost by the other Teams will win more points for beating teams ranked above them, and therefore teams will lose more points for losing to a team ranked below them Teams will win less points for beating teams ranked below them, and therefore teams will lose less points for losing to a team ranked above them If a draw occurs, the lower ranked team will gain a small number of points and the higher ranked team will lose the same number of points The number of points exchanged is dependent on the result of the match (win, lose, shootout win/loss or draw), the importance of the match (part of a major tournament, or a test series for example), and the relative difference in ranking points between the teams before the match. More details about the formula used in the algorithm, weightings of matches and other factors can be found HERE together with a Frequently Asked Questions document HERE. For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please consult FIH.hockey, follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and download the Watch.Hockey app.

8 August 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland:The day began with England out-scoring South Africa in a breathless bronze medal match. While in the final Australia put on a goalscoring clinic, brushing India aside as they struck gold. Match reports: England 6 South Africa 3 (Bronze medal match men) England, buoyed by a loud home crowd, beat South Africa in a high-scoring affair to earn the bronze medal. The first quarter was tense, as both sides looked to work each other out. South Africa had the opening couple of chances, Keenan Horne and Daniel Bell seeing efforts blocked and saved by a firm English defence. As England pushed-back Commonwealth Games top-scorer Nicholas Bandurak had a goal disallowed after just over 10 minutes. A tight opening quarter eventually ended goalless. The second period of this game turned out to be a contender for the most entertaining of the whole tournament. The carnage began when after 18 minutes Matthew Guise-Brown scored from a penalty corner. England responded straight away, with a first ever international goal from Rhys Smith. South Africa were ahead again in the blink of an eye, as Mustapha Cassiem slotted past England keeper Oliver Payne. Once again it was a rapid response from England, who equalised for the second time in the quarter via cracking strike from Liam Ansell. A great referral from England skipper Zachary Wallace won his side a penalty corner with 5 minutes left of the period, and Samuel Ward cashed in, putting the hosts 3-2 ahead. The game’s sixth goal came on the stroke of half-time, as Nqobile Ntuli restored parity between the sides. A remarkable quarter ended with the scores tied at 3-3. The players emerged from a well-earned half-time break and a far quieter period ensued. England were temporarily down to 10 after a green card but South Africa could not capitalise. Instead, England took the lead once again, a powerful strike from Phillip Roper 5 minutes from the final break. Despite some late pressure from the hosts the players took their final break with the score 4-3, and the destination of the bronze medal far from decided. In the last 15 of hockey for both sides in this year’s games it was England that drew first blood, Roper getting the final touch following a Sam Ward shot. With 5 minutes to go, trailing by 2 goals, South Africa committed to 11 outfield players as they looked to claw themselves back into medal contention. However, with 90 seconds left on the clock England’s Wallace tucked home a penalty stroke to wrap up a 6-3 win, and the bronze medal, for the hosts. Phillip Roper (ENG): “It feels pretty special right now. It’s a really special changing room we have got, and to come away with something is the icing on the cake.” Zachary Wallace (ENG): “I am absolutely buzzing. It’s my first senior medal and it has felt like a hell of a long time coming.” “Over [the course of] this tournament, everyone has seen that this group is on the right path.” “I really feel we are going places, and everyone has got a taste of the medal success.” David Condon (ENG): “We came here to be on the podium. On a personal level I didn’t get picked for Tokyo [2020 Olympic Games] so I was gutted about that. But I’ve been training with this moment in mind, so now it happened I’m really emotional. I cried out there.” Tim Drummond (RSA): “Besides being tired? I’m proud. This is an exceptionally proud moment for the whole group. We didn’t get the medal but, for a bit of perspective, we have come a long way since February when we were conceding a lot of goals and losing many games to some of these top teams.” “We have a lot to be proud of and a lot to work on, going forward to the World Cup.” Gowan Jones (RSA): “It was tough out there. The English guys played a structured game – they move the ball really fast.” “It was good for three-quarters of the game, and then they got the better of us at the end.” Australia 7 India 0 (Gold medal match men) A rampant Australia brushed aside India to keep up their 100% Commonwealth Games gold medal streak. Australia began the first quarter with a spell of early pressure as they looked to win an astonishing 7th gold medal in a row. After 9 minutes it was the ever-dangerous Blake Govers that opened the scoring in the final, firing home from a penalty corner. With just a minute left in the opening 15 Nathan Ephraums doubled the Kookaburras lead, rounding out a dominant first period for Australia. The Aussies continued their relentless pressure into the second quarter, looking to dominate their Asian opponents. After 22 minutes the lead was suddenly 3-0 when Jacob Anderson scored from a penalty corner. Just 5 minutes later Australia found their 4th without reply as Tom Wickham fired in. Anderson’s second of the period increased the lead to 5-0 by half-time. A devastating first 30 saw Australia have one hand on the trophy, while India had a mountain to climb to get back into the tie. As was the theme of the match the third quarter was again one-sided, as the Kookaburras saw attack as the best form of defence, creating multiple opportunities. Only 1 further goal was added, thanks to Ephraums 3 minutes before the final break. Australia were 7-up inside a minute of the final quarter, Flynn Ogilvie with the strike. The Kookaburras did continue to create more opportunities to extend a big lead even further, but the busy PR Sreejesh in the Indian goal managed to make the saves required to avoid further damage. As the hooter brought the curtain down on the hockey at the 2022 Commonwealth Games it was seven-heaven for the Kookaburras, 7 final goals securing a 7th consecutive gold medal as their utter dominance of the tournament and final was written

Continue Reading →