Tomakomai 2016: Great Britain team preview

Great Britain will try to qualify for the Paralympic Games for the first time since 2006. The British squad has undergone changes since finishing fifth at the 2015 World Championships B-Pool and avoiding relegation to the C-Pool. They are being led under new head coach Ian Offers and a new British Sledge Hockey Association board. Although a top-two finish is unlikely, they are aiming for bronze.

Key players

Veterans Gary Farmer and Matt Clarkson bring plenty of experience for the team, having competed at the Worlds B-Pool in 2013 where they helped the team secure the final podium spot. Goalie Rob Gaze also returns from that squad, as the British prepare for extreme pressure at the net from their opponents.

Roster

Darren Brown (D)

Tyler Christopher (F)

Matt Clarkson (D)

Matt Coleman (F)

Gary Farmer (F)

Rob Gaze (G)

Bryan Hackworth (G)

Jonathon Le Galloudec (F)

Karl Nicholson (F)

Scott Turner (F)

Ian Warner (F)

Matt Woollias (F)

The 2016 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships B-Pool will feature Japan, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Great Britain between 28 November – 3 December. The top three teams will progress to the qualification tournament for PyeongChang 2018.

All team previews for the World Championships B-Pool, set to get underway in Tomakomai, Japan, can be viewed at the event website.