13 February 2022 Results sided with World rankings down in Potchestfstroom, South Africa with convincing victories for the Netherlands and India. Harmanpreet Singh buried four goals from specialty plays to lift India 10-2 over the hosts, despite a gutsy opening half where South Africa only trailed 3-1. The Dutch were also kept at bay in their match up against the recently impressive French side and it wasn’t until the third quarter that their scoring cylinders started firing. Captain Thierry Brinkman’s composure in the circle put two goals to his name in the 5-1 victory, while teammates Jorrit Croon and Joep de Mol both celebrated their 100th internationals. To see the current men’s FIH Pro League Standings, click here. Back at the Cenard in Buenos Aires, the Leonas looked even more potent today as Agustina Gorzelany found her strides at the top of the penalty corner battery with all three Argentina goals for a the 3-1 victory and a weekend sweep of Belgium. To see the current women’s FIH Pro League Standings, click here. For the men, the weekend was split as Belgium really displayed their craft to earn a 2-0 redemption win over Argentina. Penalty corner aces Alexander Hendrickx and Loïck Luypeart each converted. South Africa v India (men) – Potchestfstroom, University of North West (RSA) Four second-half goals from Harmanpreet Singh helped India put away South Africa 10-2, an identical score line to their match up on Feb. 9. Daniel Bell and Connor Beauchamp notched goals for South Africa. It was a game of two halves in Potchefstroom when South Africa took on India for the second time. For the first 30 minutes, South Africa were hugely competitive, and it was only a less than clinical performance in front of goal – including a saved penalty stroke – that prevented them being on equal terms. South Africa drew first as the Cassiem brothers, Mustapha and Dayaan, combined for a penalty corner that Bell converted home past keeper Bahadur. Before the end of the quarter Surender Kumar tallied while Matt d’Souza was taking a rest with a green card. A great build up in the second quarter allowed Manpreet Singh to create space for Shilanand Lakra and he scored his first goal for India to give his side a 2-1 advantage. India enjoyed a third goal on a counterattack after a broken-down South African penalty corner. Brilliant work by Dilpreet Singh sets up Mandeep Singh for India’s third. As it was, at half-time it was 3-1 and could have gone either way. But, ahead of the game, Head Coach Graham Reid had asked for his team to ‘execute’ in front of goal and in the second half his players responded unequivocally. Pick of the crop was four-goal Player of the Match Harmanpreet Singh. His shots rifled in past Gowan Jones in the South Africa goal– it was a masterclass in power and precision. To start the third quarter South Africa was awarded a penalty stroke as Dayaan Cassiem was pushed on route to goal by Jarmanpreet Singh. Jethro Eustice’s stroke was saved well by Bahadur.  South Africa had more chances as they hit the bar in the 33rd minute and it was after this that India started to turn things on. Harmanpreet buried a penalty corner and Sumit tallied before the end of the third. From there, India continued with goals coming late in each of the third and fourth including three more for Harmanpreet. Speaking after the game, Harmanpreet said: ‘We are always talking about the team and that was a team effort. We needed to get back after the France game [India lost 5-2] and think what we could learn and improve upon.’ France v Netherlands (men) – Potchestfstroom, University of North West (RSA)  The Netherlands found their scoring strides in the third quarter to win 5-1 over France. The day was also marked special for both Jorrit Croon and Joep de Mol, both celebrating their 100th international game. Icing on the cake for Croon who also notched a brilliant goal in the fourth quarter. Thierry Brinkman also tallied twice, while the younger Brinkman, Jasper, scored the opener. While the two teams tied 2-2 just days earlier, there was no question who the better side was today. After the game, Captain Brinkman was named Player of the Match and said: ‘It was a really good game today. We played good, strong, clean hockey. We were well prepared for today against France. During our time in South Africa we have trained hard and played some great hockey. Now we are looking forward to some Pro League in the Netherlands.’ The Netherlands did as they always do, patiently building and it was in the final minute of the first quarter that the Dutch were able to break the French defence. Jasper Brinkman’s penalty corner flick rocketed into the bottom corner of the French goal, booming past a diving stick of keeper Corentin Saunier. A sloppy tackle from Timothée Clément in the 21st minute left France short-handed at a critical time. It paid dividends as Thierry Brinkman was there to tap in at the far post to double the Dutch lead. An errant clear by the French defence then gave the Netherlands back-to-back penalty corner opportunities but Saunier’s left glove denied both attempts. Some clever work from Etienne Tynevez into the Dutch circle gave youngster Antonin Igau a hopping blast at goal but the ball went just wide of the net in the 30th minute. The French pair combined seconds later with a baseline run that gave Igau an open look at goal but he couldn’t finish to leave the French still trailing 2-0 at half time. The third quarter piled on the goals, starting with the Dutch. Pieters curled and beat two French defenders and then an unmarked Thierry Brinkman calmly tapped in his second of the game. The very same Brinkman bravely saved a rocket of a drag flick off the stick of Victor Charlet in the 33rd

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10 February 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) can now confirm the 16 teams that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup taking place from 1 to 12 April 2022 at the North-West University (NWU) of Potchefstroom, South Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe (Africa) India, Korea, Malaysia (Asia) England, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine, Wales (Europe) Argentina, Canada, United States, Uruguay (Pan Americas) The four pools of four teams each are available here. The event was scheduled to be played in December 2021 but had to be postponed due to the Omicron outbreak. Japan, Belgium and Spain had qualified for this tournament but have decided not to take part in the rescheduled event. They’ve been replaced by Malaysia, Ukraine and Wales. Australia, New Zealand and China had withdrawn already last year due to COVID-related reasons and were replaced by Argentina, Ireland and Korea. In order to support all teams, FIH has decided to extend the number of players to 20 per team. However, only 18 players will be allowed on the start list of any match. Furthermore, the event will start and finish one day earlier than initially planned. This move will help players getting back earlier to their respective clubs and therefore being available for domestic fixtures. FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “The FIH Hockey Junior World Cup is such an important milestone in international players’ careers that we’re really happy to be able to stage the upcoming edition, in South Africa, after we were left with no other option than postponing it last year. We’re looking forward to seeing so many of hockey’s rising stars in action in just a few weeks time!” It will be the ninth edition of the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup. Argentina won the last edition in 2016 in Santiago, Chile. In the final, they overcame the Netherlands, who won three FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cups – a record to date – in 1997, 2009 and 2013. The North-West University (NWU) of Potchefstroom is currently hosting matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League for the very first time. 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. 

25 January 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to announce that France will join the third edition of the Men’s FIH Hockey Pro League. After Canada eventually pulled out due to COVID-related issues, FIH had contacted the next best teams, according to the FIH World Rankings, to invite one of them to replace Canada. France have accepted the invitation and, as the highest-ranked team having done so, will join the global home-and-away league – ‘Hockey at its Best’ – for this season. As communicated earlier, France’s participation in the FIH Hockey Pro League is planned for this third edition only. Indeed, Australia and New Zealand, who are not playing the current season due to COVID-related international travel constraints, are expected to come back for the fourth edition (2022-2023). The French team will play their first match on 8 February against India, in Potchefstroom (South Africa). The full match schedule of the third edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League is available here. France have qualified for the next FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, which will be played in January 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela (India). The French Men’s Junior team recently claimed the bronze medal at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021, with France captain Timothée Clément crowned Best Player of the Tournament. France will also host the Paris 2024 Olympic events in 2 years’ time. “It is great news that France are joining the FIH Hockey Pro League for the current season. As hosts of the next Olympic Games, being part of such a top-flight competition involving the best teams in the world can only be a positive move for the French team as well as for the growth of hockey in the country”, FIH CEO Thierry Weil commented. The first FIH Hockey Pro League matches of the year will involve the Women’s teams of China and India. They will take place on 31 January and 1 February in Muscat, Oman, where both teams are currently playing the Women’s Asia Cup 2022. Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the Watch.Hockey app, event website and through FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. #FIHProLeague #HockeyInvites