Rupert Barker, of Hockey 21, continues to assess the men’s group stages of the Tokyo Olympics hockey competition.
Belgium
The Belgians recently lost their world No 1 spot to the Australians, but they are still a major contender for gold. They have experience and quality running through every single layer of their side. The change of rules allowing the reserves to participate means that former skipper Thomas Briels may still play. Arthur Van Doren shows true class at the back, not only providing a solid defensive barrier, but also launching attacks with outstanding distribution and elimination skills.
Victor Wegnez is the engine in the midfield and acts as the perfect foil for the omnipresent John-John Dohmen. In the forward line, they have a plethora of talent and the focus often falls on the goal-scoring prowess of Tom Boon.
Continue reading...
Unlock ALL our premium content for 3 months for only £1...and get use of our subscriber-only app for a better reading experience.
Simply select Monthly or Yearly subscription and use coupon 3FOR1 when prompted.
Already a subscriber to our website? Login
- Follow Olympic news, features and interviews
- Full Tokyo Olympic schedule and matches
- Subscribe to our unrivalled coverage by unlocking our best content