World number one Australia are one of the favourites for the 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup and they make it into the tournament having won the past two World Cups in 2010 and 2014. A hat-trick could be on the cards given the Kookaburras’ recent form after the disappointment at Rio Olympics.
The Kookaburras are pooled against England (ranked seventh), Ireland (10th) and China PR (17th) for the World Cup which runs from 28 November to 16 December.
Defending champions Australia will begin their campaign against Ireland on Friday while England take on China.
Pool B: – Australia, England, Ireland, China
AUSTRALIA
As title holders and the number one side in the game, Australia are perennial favourites. Whilst there was a slight dip in form in recent years – a sixth-place finish at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games being most notable – their 15th title triumph at the Hockey Champions Trophy in the Netherlands over the summer showed that they are in form and will, as ever, be the team to beat in Bhubaneswar.
With nine medals from 13 appearances, the triple title-winning Kookaburras are one of the most successful men’s team in World Cup history. In India they will be chasing a third successive World Cup gold medal, following their convincing triumphs in Delhi in 2010 and The Hague in 2014.
Their recent record in India is impressive, especially in Bhubaneswar, having claimed the title at the Hockey World League Final in 2017.
It will take a very special team to stop them. The team selected by Head Coach and former Kookaburra Colin Batch – who won gold as a player at the 1986 FIH Men’s World Cup in Willesden, England – is full of quality, with the hugely experienced attacking midfielder Eddie Ockenden being named co-captain alongside defender Aran Zelewski. Matthew Swann is a consistently an outstanding performer in defence, while Jake Whetton, Trent Mitton, Jeremy Hayward and Blake Govers are all regular scorers for the reigning world champions.
Current FIH World ranking: 1
How they qualified: Continental champions of Oceania
Notable honours: Olympic gold medallists (2004), 3x FIH Men’s World Cup winners (1986, 2010, 2014), Hockey World League champions (2015, 2017)
Performance in previous Olympics (2016): Finished 6th
Performance in previous World Cup (2014): Champions
Player to watch: Eddie Ockenden
With over 330 international appearances, attacking midfielder Ockenden is by far the most experienced player in the Australia line-up and rarely has a bad day for the team. Ockenden was a central figure in the Kookaburras teams that was victorious at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Squad: Daniel Beale, Timothy Brand, Andrew Charter, Tom Craig, Matthew Dawson, Blake Govers, Jake Harvie, Jeremy Hayward, Tim Howard, Tyler Lovell, Trent Mitton, Eddie Ockenden, Flynn Ogilvie, Matthew Swann, Corey Weyer, Jake Whetton, Dylan Wotherspoon, Aran Zalewski
ENGLAND
England have come agonisingly close to the podium at the two most recent editions of the FIH Men’s World Cup. The fourth-place finishes achieved in New Delhi (2010) and The Hague (2014) were painful for the athletes involved, but they remain England’s best World Cup showing since the silver medal achieved on home soil at the 1986 event in Willesden.
England secured World Cup qualification under the guidance of previous Head Coach Bobby Crutchley, who saw his improving team claim a third-place finish in front of a home crowd at the Hockey World League Semi-Final in London. Crutchley has since stepped down from the role, with Danny Kerry, the man who guided Great Britain’s women to Olympic gold at Rio 2016, taking over.
Kerry – who coached England women at the Hockey Women’s World Cup in London earlier this year - has selected a squad of eighteen with two travelling reserves (Brendan Creed and Rhys Smith) in a team which boasts both youth and experience. Numerous players have competed in multiple World Cups, although for 13 athletes this will be their first senior World Cup experience.
Zach Wallace, Jack Waller and Smith are the youngest players to be selected having impressed in recent months, while Barry Middleton will compete at his fourth World Cup and Adam Dixon his third. Phil Roper, Ian Sloan and goalkeeper George Pinner are part of a three-man captaincy group, having taken over the armband from Middleton in recent times.
The 400+ capped attacking midfielder Middleton remains hugely influential, although the recent withdrawal of prolific striker Sam Ward - replaced by Liam Ansell - through injury will certainly be a loss.
Current FIH World ranking: 7
How they qualified: 3rd Place – Hockey World League Semi-Final, London
Notable honours: FIH Men’s World Cup silver medallists (1986), European gold medallists (2009)
Performance in previous Olympics (2016): N/A (Great Britain finished 9th)
Performance in previous World Cup (2014): Finished 4th
Player to watch: Barry Middleton
England’s talisman is an attacker who always makes things happen, assisting and scoring goals with regularity. Now 34 and with over 420 international appearances, Middleton is still at the top of his game and is in sight of the men’s caps world record of 453 held by Netherlands legend Teun de Nooijer
Squad: George Pinner. Harry Gibson, Adam Dixon, Liam Sanford, Mark Gleghorne, Jack Waller, Michael Hoare, Luke Taylor, Harry Martin, David Ames, Ian Sloan, Barry Middleton, Zach Wallace, James Gall, Phil Roper, David Condon, Will Calnan, Liam Ansell
IRELAND
Ireland men sealed their qualification for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 with an epic, backs-to-the-wall encounter with New Zealand at the Hockey World League Semi-Final 2017 in Johannesburg. The Green Machine emerged 1-0 winners after Alan Sothern’s goal in the 49th minute. This was a monumental effort as injuries meant the Irish bench was reduced to just two fit players, ensuring every individual had to put in extra minutes on the field.
Ireland men have made two previous World Cup appearances, in 1978 and 1990, both times finishing in 12th position. In the past few years however, the Ireland side has made real headway in the rankings and in major tournament performances. In 2015 they qualified via the Hockey World League Semi-Finals for the 2016 Olympics and in the same year they took bronze at the EuroHockey Championships.
Ireland will have taken great inspiration from their female compatriots, who claimed a stunning silver medal at the Hockey Women’s World Cup in London earlier this year. With a talent-packed squad, there is no reason why Ireland’s men cannot make the same impact in Bhubaneswar.
Key players include midfield dynamo Shane O’Donoghue as well as twin brothers Conor and David Harte, who play in defence and goal respectively.
Current FIH World ranking: 10
How they qualified: 5th Place – Hockey World League Semi-Final Johannesburg
Notable honours: 5th Place – Hockey World League Semi-Final 2015, Bronze medallists – European Championships (2015)
Performance in previous Olympics (2016): Finished 10th
Performance in previous World Cup (2014): Didn’t qualify
Player to watch: David Harte
The 2015 and 2016 FIH Goalkeeper of the Year is a truly extraordinary shot-stopper. His performances in recent years have been pivotal to Ireland’s historic achievements in qualifying for and competing in the Rio Olympics as well as claiming a brilliant bronze medal at the EuroHockey Championships 2015. A leg injury sustained ahead of competition was not as bad as initially feared, meaning that Harte is likely to be heavily involved in Bhubaneswar.
Squad: David Harte, David Fitzgerald, Jonathan Bell, Paul Gleghorne, Luke Madeley, Conor Harte, Stuart Loughrey, Matthew Bell, Lee Cole, Shane O’Donoghue, Michael Robson, Kirk Shimmins, Sean Murray, Chris Cargo, Daragh Walsh, Matthew Nelson, Mitch Darling, Eugene Magee, Alan Sothern, Jeremy Duncan
CHINA
The 21st of October 2017 is a date that will live long in the memory for China men’s hockey, whose place at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 was finally confirmed whilst competing at the Asia Cup 2017. Although they did not actually take to the field on that particular day, China’s eighth place finish at the Hockey World League Semi-Final in London earlier in the year proved hugely significant as it left Korea, who finished one place below China in London, needing to win the Asian continental championship in order to achieve World Cup qualification.
Korea’s dreams of competing in Bhubaneswar were ended when they drew with Malaysia, a result which put the Malaysians into the Asia Cup final and also confirmed China men as qualifiers for the World Cup for the first time in their history.
China have certainly improved in recent years, making steady progress up the FIH Hero World Rankings. The vast majority of the team that will compete in Bhubaneswar is under the age of 25, which suggests that the group still has their best years ahead of them. Whilst the team is relatively short of international experience compared to some of their opponents, it will be fascinating to see how the team performs in Bhubaneswar nonetheless.
Current FIH Hero World ranking: 17
How they qualified: 8th Place – Hero Hockey World League Semi-Final London
Notable honours: 11th place – Olympic Games (2008), Asian Games Silver medallists (2006)
Performance in previous Olympics (2016): Didn’t qualify
Performance in previous World Cup (2014): Didn’t qualify
Player to watch: Du Talake
Finished as China’s top scorer at both the Hockey World League 2017 Round 2 event in Dhaka (BAN) and the Hero Men’s Asia Cup 2017 (also played in Dhaka), Du is a genuine threat from penalty corner situations.
Squad: Guo Xiaoping, Ao Zhiwei, Guan Quyang, Ao Suozhu, E Wenhui, Ao Yang, Meng Dihao, Su Jun, Meng Nan, Su Wenlin, Su Lixing, Du Chen, Du Talake, Guo Zixiang, E Wenlong, Wang Caiyu, Ao Weibao, Guo Jin