I’m sure some of you have been wondering why the blog has been so quiet since the end of the Commonwealth Games. Usually, as we count down to the start of the domestic season I’d be doing interviews, features and previews ahead of the curtain-raiser on 13 September. Continue reading
Without doubt, one of the stars of the England set up since the London Olympics has been goalkeeper Maddie Hinch. The Holcombe stopper has won goalkeeper of the tournament in three competitions over the last 18 months and has carved herself a reputation as a formidable foe in the new style penalty shootouts as well as being regarded as one of the finest keepers in the women’s game.
If you were to ask anyone who’s come up against Australia’s Rachael Lynch and Ashleigh Nelson on the hockey pitch to describe them, I suspect “charitable” would be low down on the list of words used. Away from the glare of the competitive hockey spotlight however, both the Hockeyroos are more than willing to do their bit for a good cause.
Oranje Zwart were crowned Dutch Champions for only the second time in their history just last weekend. They won their two playoff games against HC Rotterdam to reach the final stage where again, over two games, they saw off the challenge of HC Bloemendaal. A constant feature in the playoffs, and indeed the whole season was the importance of the goals scored by Mink van der Weerden. Continue reading
The Euro Hockey League KO16 competition may not have gone according to plan for the three English sides as Reading, Beeston and Surbiton all crashed out on the same day in their first game of the week. Despite this, there is still some English interest in the competition as we approach tomorrow’s final: Former England U21 star Richie Dawson-Smith will line up for THC Harvestehuder against MHC Oranje Zwart. Continue reading
The Top of the D 