Unbeaten England Masters over 80s will take on the Netherlands in Canterbury next week, for the fourth time in an official annual meeting.
Three of the England players are in their 87th year, which makes them the oldest ever hockey players to still be regularly competing at club and international level in the UK.
All three players: Brian Woolcott of Southgate HC, Gilbert Grace of Tring HC and Yeovil’s Bill Greenwood have played in all the O80 internationals against the Netherlands to date.
According to Woolcott, if the Dutch 88-year-old captain doesn’t appear “then our England trio are the oldest senior Masters in Europe as well”.
England will take on the Dutch at Polo Farm on Wednesday followed by an England B v Netherlands match.
Two unofficial matches will take place the following day.
The Dutch will be travelling with two squads of 14, while there will be a nearby dinner of nearly 80 on the Wednesday.
Why is this article still here, when the matches referred to have all been played? Why not a report?
The official International match of the O80s was won by The Netherlands for the first time by 2-0. The England side won the friendly the next day 3-1.
Both clashes between the B-teams were won by The Netherlands, 3-1 and 3-0 respectively.
The teams will be ready for a re-match at the International Grand Masters Hockey Festival in The Hague at the end of June, where they will be joined by a team from Southern Cross (Australia) and a team of mixed nationalities from Alliance International H.C. in a first such contest of four O80 teams in one pool. History in the making!