What’s the state of play in the 2022-23 FIH Pro League?

We’re at the next round of matches in the 2022-23 FIH Pro League. Although the campaign is reaching the halfway point, there are several teams yet to play more than four games, with the likes of New Zealand, Great Brighton and the Netherlands still hoping to put their stamp on proceedings.

With some time until FIH Pro League fixtures in Christchurch, New Zealand, held between April 22-30, field hockey bettors will be waiting with bated breath for the match and outright betting markets in the coming days. BoyleSports is one operator that has a dedicated Field Hockey section for markets, with the Irish brand certainly one to watch. It’s also acknowledged by oddschecker for having one of the leading new customer campaigns, which is useful for those betting on the FIH Pro League for the first time.

How it stand in the Men’s FIH Pro League

At the time of writing, India sits proudly at the top of the 22-23 FIH Pro League. The team have lost just once in their opening eight games, racking up five victories and two shoot-out bonuses on top. They are also the league’s highest scorers with 31 goals in eight games – an average of almost four per match.

Spain have made good headway so far in their opening eight games, winning five, drawing two and losing one, just like the Indians. However, the Spaniards failed to bag any shoot-out bonuses, leaving them two points shy of India. Argentina is the only nation to have played 12 games so far this term and their 12 matches have yielded just 13 points, leaving them almost certain to slide down the table as other nations play catch-up.

Great Britain face a double-header against New Zealand and Australia later this month, as they get their FIH Pro League season going again after impressing on Argentinian soil last December. In fact, it was a solid mini-tournament in Argentina for GB, in which they won one and drew three against the Netherlands and the Argentines. In all three drawn games, GB managed to win the shoot-outs to claim the three additional shoot-out bonus points.

The mini-tournament was a landmark moment for Great Britain’s Harry Martin, who made his 108th appearance, moving him into fifth place in the all-time appearances list for Great Britain hockey. Both Australia and New Zealand have plenty to prove, particularly the All Blacks on home soil, after one draw and three defeats in their four opening FIH Pro League games this season.

How it stands in the Women’s FIH Pro League

It doesn’t make for quite such good reading as a fan of the women’s Great British hockey team. They sit at the foot of the 22-23 women’s FIH Pro League after four consecutive defeats and just one goal scored. Great Britain travel to Christchurch at the end of the month to take part in New Zealand’s mini-tournament.

Like the men’s team, the women’s Argentinian team are the only nation to have played 12 games in the women’s FIH Pro League this season. They are currently leading the way with 23 points from their dozen games played. The Leonas are certainly one of the teams to beat having been undefeated in regulation time in the previous FIH Pro League season. They’ve suffered three defeats in the 22-23 season so far and the likes of Australia and the Netherlands will certainly feel they have a strong chance of leap-frogging the Leonas this time around.

The Netherlands are the reigning women’s Olympic and World champions and have a perfect record from their first four games of the 22-23 season. With eight games and just 11 points to make up on Argentina, the Dutch side are almost certainly in pole position to reach the summit as we reach the business end of the season.

One thing is for certain, by early May both the men’s and women’s FIH Pro League standings are sure to have very different complexions.