International Hockey

GREAT BRITAIN 3 (1)
James Tindall 17 (PC)               
Ashley Jackson 45 (PS)            
Harry Martin 62 (F)                    
INDIA 1 (1)
Shivendra Singh 3 (F)               

Great Britain’s men’s hockey team began their final warm up tournament ahead of the Olympic Games with a 3-1 victory over India in Santander, Spain.  Ultimately, it was a comfortable result although GB were forced to come from behind to take victory.  Goals from Surbiton’s James Tindall, East Grinstead’s Ashley Jackson and Old Loughtonians’ Harry Martin cancelled out Shivendra Singh’s early opener.

The Great Britain men's hockey side have flown to Spain for their final competitve matches before moving to the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 22.

GB face India on Saturday night (4.30pm UK time) before an encounter against Spain on Monday evening (6pm UK). Spain are GB’s final pool match at the Olympics, so both sides will be looking to gain any pre-Games psychological advantage. 

The Black Sticks Men have beaten Belgium 3-1 in the second of a series of Olympic hockey warm-up matches in Brussels, Belgium yesterday.

After a travel weary team went down 2-1 in the opening game, the Black Sticks returned to the level expected from the seventh ranked side to comfortably beat the Belgians, ranked 11 in the world.

Three goals in the first 12 minutes set world number four Great Britain up for a 6-0 win over world number 12 South Africa in the unofficial women’s hockey Test match at Bisham Abbey Monday.

A Crista Cullen penalty corner was followed by an Alex Danson field goal before Cullen made it 3-0 with GB’s second PC. Near the end of the half, Danson set up Sarah Thomas for a tap-in at the far post.

The South Africa men's hockey squad are flying to Ireland to begin an eight-match tour ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

“By the time we get to London, our prep would have been fairly good given the position we faced seven months ago just after Champions Challenge in Randburg,” said coach Gregg Clark.

Clark was speaking ahead of the three-week tour that also includes three test matches in Spain.

Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens and his Dutch counterpart Max Caldas, who has coached in WA and played National League for New South Wales, have both named Great Britain as favourites for Olympic gold

Despite their disappointing performance in the Investec London Cup, where they finished only fifth, Commens said GB were the form team of 2012. The Brits have been hampered by injury to four key players, who sat out the cup this week.

Champions: Netherlands win the Investec London Cup 2012 with a 4-1 victory over Australia - Ady Kerry

NETHERLANDS 4 (1)
Carlien Dirkse van de Heuvel 28 (F) 
Maartje Paumen 44,56 (PC,PC)    
Kelly Jonker 46 (F)  
AUSTRALIA 1 (0)
Georgia Nanscawen 47 (F)    

The Netherlands have won the Investec London Cup hockey with a 4-1 victory over Australia. Germany took the bronze medal defeating South Africa 6-2.

For more pictures see the gallery.

Australia and the Netherlands produced a robust final with no quarter asked or given. In the end it was lethal Dutch corners and more clinical finishing that decided the game.

In the first half Hope Munro smashed one into the bar and Anna Flanagan put a corner over for the Hockeyroos, but it was the world's number one side who took a lead into the break through Carlien Dirkse van de Heuvel, set up by Caia van Maasakker in front of goal