Former national hockey player Kwandwane Browne, assistant coach of Great Britain’s men’s teams and India will do battle twice over the course of eight days when the 2023 Federation International Hockey Men’s Pro League resumes this weekend in London, England.
Last month in New Zealand, the Great Britain men’s team enjoyed a successful outing going unbeaten in regulation time against the host country and its neighbour in Christchurch, New Zealand.
During the eight-day mini-tournament, new to the FIH Men’s Pro League for season four, Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) registered wins against New Zealand, 5-2 and 6-1, and Australia 2-1, before drawing with the Aussies 3-3 in their final match, before losing 4-2 on penalty-strokes.
With the ten points earned, England moved up the table to 19 points from eight matches on the nine-nation table, level with table toppers India who lead by virtue of more outright wins, five to four going into the next phase of the tournament after India’s blistering form at the Rourkela mini-tournament saw it pick up 11 out of 12 possible points against Germany and Australia.
Spain which won three out of four games in the mini tournament in Australia against the hosts and Argentina slipped to third place with 17 points, while Australia and Argentina have 13 points each from 11 and 12 matches out of 16.
The rest of the table is completed by Germany with 11 points, with Belgium having two wins and two losses for six points while defending champions Netherlands have five, and New Zealand, with two.
First up for Great Britain will be a top-of-the-table clash with India on Saturday, May 27 followed by matches against Belgium one day later, India again on June 3, and Belgium once more on June 4.
Great Britain will then have almost a two-week break before resuming their campaign also at home with their final four matches against Germany (June 17 and 20), and Spain (June 18 and 21).
Domestically, Browne had a very successful campaign as a player/coach on his return to Southgate Hockey Club, leading the club to the England Hockey League Men’s Premier Division for the 2023/2024 season after they captured the English Hockey League Division One South Outdoor title inspired by T&T international Teague Marcano’s league-best 24 goals.
Browne, who featured for T&T in more than 400 internationals also coached Southgate to one of the two promotion spots in the six-club England Hockey League Adult Super 6s Indoor Championships Men’s National Division Two behind the prolific Marcano, who finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 30 goals, 19 in the divisional round playoffs.