England's men narrowly lost the final of the Rohrmax Cup in Vienna on Sunday, going down 4-3 to the reigning European indoor champions Austria.
The tournament, which has featured national sides from England, Austria and the USA, as well as the Austrian and Swiss U21 sides and host club SV Arminen, has been used by England to continue the development of its squad for the outdoor game but has made pleasing viewing for England's coaching team with the team having beaten all opponents bar Austria.
There was little to separate the sides throughout the final with England going in just a goal behind at half time - 3-2 the score - before ultimately losing 4-3. Loughborough Students' Richard Smith netted from open play to keep up his record of scoring in all but one of the games in Vienna while England's other goals came from Surbiton's Richard Alexander and Bowdon's Simon Egerton.
England Hockey Men’s Squad for Rohrmax Cup, Vienna
Nick Brothers (GK) – Reading Hockey Club
George Pinner (GK) – Beeston Hockey Club
Richard Alexander – Surbiton Hockey Club
Andy Bull – Loughborough Students Hockey Club
Darren Cheesman – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Simon Egerton – Bowdon Hockey Club
James Tindall – Surbiton Hockey Club
Richard Mantell – Reading Hockey Club
Barry Middleton – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Richard Smith – Loughborough Students Hockey Club
Alastair Wilson – Beeston Hockey Club
The Official club website of the hosts, Arminen, can be found at www.arminen.at .
Because the tournament is an invitational one featuring a mix of teams, no caps have been awarded for it. England's men and women will both take part in a similar tournament in Leipzig, Germany, in two weeks time before England's men head to Poznan, Poland, for their first ever appearance at the FIH Indoor World Cup. The Indoor World Cup runs from 8-13 February.
Before that, England's players will return to their club sides ahead of next weekend's final round of super sixes National Indoor Hockey Championships Premier Division fixtures. The top four sides in the men's table at the close of play at the University of the West of England on Sunday 16 January will progress to the super sixes Finals at Wembley Arena on Sunday 30 January. And they will be joined at Wembley by the winners of the two women's semi finals, which will take place at Perdiswell Leisure Centre in Worcester also on Sunday 16 January.
Source: England Hockey Board Media release
