It certainly represents a great challenge for the English players but one that many have trained for a long long time for and we should not forget that the squad will quite likely be made up of many of the players who were part of the U19 squad that came second in the Korfball Junior challenge in recent years

Graham, it seems strange that the overall world rankings should not be used for youth tournaments when I'm pretty sure that the results from the U23 world championships are used in the calculation of the overall rankings.

If deemed not useful by the IKF in this circumstance then why include youth championships in the calculations?

I also understand that it is important to split teams up from the same continent but this could easily have been done more in line with world rankings by swapping England with Catalonia.

The way this tournament has been drawn creates, in my opinion, some incentive to not achieve your full potential in continental U21 qualifiers in order to get a favourable draw in the U23 world championships. If Catalonia had achieved a bronze medal at the U21 European Championships (as England did) then presumably it would be them placed in a pool with two 'A' countries rather than one.

I think this is a scenario that needs to be avoided at all costs

Had the pools been drawn using the world ranking (as the IKF site tells us they have) then would not the pools would be;

Netherlands, Chinese Taipei, Catalonia, Germany, Australia and India

Belgium, England, Czech Republic, Portugal, Hong Kong and South Africa.

quote:

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Instead the pools were drawn by Continent so as to avoid too many Asia/Oceania teams being in the same Pool. This has to be taken into consideration as much as the overall ranking.

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• Australia


• Hong Kong


• India


• Taiwan

Your suggestion puts three of the four in one group. Perhaps you forgot Australia as Oceania? I can only guess there.

Now, when you look at the current world ranking, these countries participate, grouped in pairs:
1) Netherlands
2) Belgium

3) Taiwan
4) England

5) Catalunya
6) Czech Republic

7) Germany
8) Portugal

11) Australia
13) Hong Kong

14) India
15) South Africa

As the drawing is done in pairs, you would get one of each pair in a group. With Australia and Hong Kong sharing a pair, the group of India would be determined by the draw of Taiwan, assuming that the draw of the highest ranked country takes precedence. But, I think the pain is not there for the English people here. You want England to be seen as 'top 4'. Now I take as comparison the results of the World Championship 2011, the most recent world event that may be used to see current strength of national teams:

1) Netherlands
2) Belgium

3) Taiwan
4) Catalunya

5) England
7) Portugal

8) Czech Republic
9) Germany

12) Australia
13) India

14) Hong Kong
16) South Africa

There, 'dark horse' Catalunya does take fourth place, and so would make it arguably correct for them to be in the position they are now, in the group with just Netherlands as A-grade country. Also Portugal could have some complaints, looking at that ranking compared to the world ranking.

Now of course the world ranking is intended to look at the longer perspective, considering a number of parameters, like organisation and duration of IKF membership. This should both prevent countries from a temporary on-court setback, as well as prevent 'underachieving' by long term members. Something I doubt is interesting for most countries, as usually at least part of their financing depends on their championship results. I know it works that way at least in countries like Netherlands and Russia.

The pain when using the world ranking is in pairs 2 and 3. Both countries in pair 2 (Taiwan, England) are in group B and both of pair 3 (Catalunya, Czech Republic) in group A. Looking at the 2011 World Championships, you see this issue with pair 3 (England, Portugal) both in group B and pair 4 (Czech Republic, Germany) both in group A. When the world ranking would have been used purely and the draw had been top down, then or Taiwan or England would have been switched with Czech Republic or Catalunya. And, based on what happened with Taiwan, India may have switched as well to ensure the continental balance.

What to me is interesting, is the placing of Taiwan in the groups. They now have a direct opportunity to take on Belgium, without being worn down by a game against Netherlands. So the groups you suggest, Steve, may be undesirable from that fact alone. Otherwise, your proposal fits the pairs used in the World ranking. You would just change South Africa and India to balance the Asia/Oceania countries.

It was because unlike england they had a lower ranking and was not in a pool with ct or belgium.

it seems to me that the countries that work hard to close the gap witht the top 3 and achive some good results get punished at the next event(S)

england u16 have been killed by the pools/format since there 2nd place 3 years ago.

last year the germany come 4th and england 5th based soley on ur groups( having played all the same teams expect holland englands results were better)

now based on this england now have to again beat ct or belgium to make the top 4

I agree with Steve that under the current system achieving a higher ranking can work against you as it certainly does with England. Once again Catalonia looks set to enjoy an easy passage to the semi finals and that makes no sense

Drawing the pools using the World rankings would have created a much more fairer and better balanced set of pools for sure

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