KIWIS SET FOR PHL TAKEOFF
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The Premier Hockey League, the expected path breaker in India, died a traumatic death in 2008. The future of Hockey India League is anybody’s guess. But in the far south of the globe, players are gearing up to emerge from the Covid-19 induced hiatus to release pent up energy in a new-look league next month.
New Zealand launch their own Premier Hockey League in August and it will be the first domestic league world-wide resuming after the pandemic ground sports to a halt.
Four men’s teams and as many women’s will take part in a quick-fire league to be held over two extended weekends in North Harbour at a newly constructed world class stadium.
The league kicks off on August 23 when the men take the pitch and ends on September 20 when the women’s competition concludes.
The leagues will involve 40 players for each gender. Squads will comprise 20 with 18 committed to a match including two goalkeepers.
Teams will be selected by a draft which will not include local protected players. Instead, they will play for teams associated with those they represent.
Entry will be free. Sky Sports NZ will stream action live on Sky Sports Next platform with select matches on Sky Sports Television.
The format is round-robin with the grand finals being staged on Sunday of the final weekend.
Matches will be of four 15-minute quarters but drawn encounters will go to a best-of-three penalty shootout.
The league has a lot riding on it. Selection to the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics is on the line. And one dare says that players will bring a new level of energy and ability to the league after months of inactivity caused by concerns over the pandemic.
The league will also help New Zealand Hockey select and develop their teams for international hockey, especially with the FIH Pro League in mind.
And it will also give the administration a chance to test the North Harbour facility ahead of international competition.
The Black Sticks men have an Olympic gold in their showcase from the 1976 Montreal Olympics and came close to qualifying for the semifinals of the 2016 Rio edition.
The Kiwis but were done in by two late goals by Germany in the quarterfinals. One on the stroke of the final hooter.
The Black Sticks women finished fourth at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and won the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth gold medal.
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This is a good step towards of future hockey…💪😎
This is a good step to start hockey after covid-19💪
Great job 👏👍
Nice job sir☺️
Great job👍
Hockey is the national sport of India / but this game is not as important in India / as it is in outside countries! We and the Indian government should focus on this!
For your kind information Hockey isn’t national sports of India…infact In response to the RTI, the Sports Ministry confirmed that it had not declared any sport or game as the ‘national game.’
This should be properly understood. Mahatma Gandhi is father of the nation. Ok? It is not written in any law book. People believe and support. The case is same with hockey too. Its people’s choice.
India should also take such steps.
Nice job sir☺️
Great job sir
It’s good for hockey future
Great job
It’s a good step for future
Great steep
Great and nice one try
Awesome
This is a good step . For future’s hockey
Really, nice work 😊😊😊
Great job
Congrats to win you a 🏆gold madel in 2018🙃
I really liked your story post.
I came to know from this post that one should never give up in life.
Good step towards hockey
Such it’s a nice to view future of hockey
Better to play safely than idling
Great work sir
Kiwi rocks !!
Great job sir
Hockey is very important game 👌👌 very nice
God lunk
Lets wait till our public ransport opens to reach stadium
Good steps by newzealand hockey…keep updating us sir… thank you very much
Yes,This is true that Newzealand is the first country to win over covid-19 pandemic.
Now they don’t have single case in their country which is a very good news for sports
And they are organising a domestic tournament in their country which is very good for the future