Wales Hockey Masters will launch its first over-75s international squad this year ahead of major competitions in 2022, writes Richard Bright.
The squad will be launched in September, giving the over-75s coaches plenty of time to assess squad form for Celtic Cup, Four Nations and a World Cup set for next year.
Jeff Robinson, Wales Hockey Masters chairman, said: “This is a major step forward for Wales Masters and follows the launching of our O70 side at the World Cup in Australia in 2016.
“Many of that squad will be raring to go again in September in their new age group. They set the bar very high for themselves when they returned from Australia with the bronze medal.”
Wales Hockey Masters says it now has close to 50 over-70s players on its books, with around 20 at over-75 level ahead of 2022.
With masters hockey curtailed in 2020, captain Glyn Thomas and manager Eric Evans are intent on finding fixtures before September.
An over-75s Four Nations is proposed for the autumn, which could feature Wales, Scotland, England and Holland and Cardiff as a potential venue.
“Such an event would provide a fantastic launch pad for our elder statesmen,” added Robinson.
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