World Cup revisited for Ireland

HOCKEY: Less than two months after the conclusion of their World Cup campaign in Perth, the Irish women's team learnt yesterday of the nature of their next major international assignment when the draw for September's European Nations Cup in Barcelona was announced.

Ireland, seeded seventh for the tournament, will renew acquaintances with England and Ukraine, who they played and lost to in Australia, with Germany, Italy and Wales completing their pool line-up. The men's team, ranked ninth, have been drawn with top seeds Germany, hosts Spain, Belgium, Russia and France in the first European Nations Cup that will be a joint men's and women's tournament.

Women's coach Riet Kuper will have a reunion with her World Cup squad at Dublin Airport on February 9th when, it is expected, a number of her senior players will announce their retirement from international hockey.

Meanwhile, the Irish Hockey Association (IHA) has decided to implement two International Hockey Federation (FIH) rule changes in the sport at all levels in Ireland from March 1st, rather than delay their introduction until next season.

The changes, which came into force in international hockey on January 1st, are experimental and will be tried out for a year.

The first change allows a player to save a shot at goal which is above shoulder height, while the second means it will no longer be necessary for attackers to stop the ball before taking a shot at goal at a penalty corner - the ball will, however, still have to travel outside the circle before a shot can be taken.

The IHA opted to bring them in before the end of the current campaign to "prepare our international and club players for upcoming FIH and European club competitions".

EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP: Women - Pool A: Holland (1), Spain (4), Scotland (5), Russia (8), Azerbaijan (9), France (12). Pool B: England (2), Germany (3), Ukraine (6), Ireland (7), Italy (10), Wales (11). Ireland's match schedule - September 1: Ireland v Wales, 2.30; Sept 3: Ireland v Italy, 10.0; Sept 5: Ireland v Germany, 1.0; Sept 6: Ireland v Ukraine, 4.0; Sept 8: Ireland v England, 9 .0 am.

Men - Pool A: Germany (1), Spain (4), Belgium (5), Russia (8), Ireland (9), France (12). Pool B: Holland (2), England (3), Poland (6), Scotland (7), Switzerland (10), Italy (11). Ireland's match schedule - September 1 - Ireland v Spain, 7.0; Sept 3 - Ireland v Russia, 2.30; Sept 4 - Ireland v Germany, 4.0; Sept 6: Ireland v France, 11.0; Sept 8: Ireland v Belgium, 11.0.