After consulting with players, umpires and hcokey afficionados everywhere, England Hockey have taken the decision to amend the Hockey Rules with affect from July 31st. The full statement can be found on the England Hockey website.

What changes will we see to our games from July 1st?

Defenders breaking early at Penalty Corners will now be penalised and sent to the halfway line, thus reducing the number of defenders able to defend the penalty corner.
Green cards will now carry an automatic two minute suspension.
The ball can be played with the stick above shoulder height, although we will need to wait for SOHL and Surrey Ladies to confirm participation in this rule.
Attacking free hits, awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle, can now be taken from the point of the offence, but must still travel 5m before entering the circle.
Long corners have been abolished. When re-starting after the ball has unintentionally been played over the back-line by a defender or goalkeeper. Play will now be re-started with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line.
The ban on face masks (worn at penalty corners) with metal grills, whcih shoudl introduce a higher level of saftey available for players at penalty corners.

For more detail, please refer to pages 5,6 &7 of the FIH Rules of Hockey 2015

These amendments to the rules of hockey will allow the game of hockey to be played to similar rules at all levels of the sport; however the introduction of four quarters of 15 minutes does not seem to have filtered through to lower lever hockey yet (which, I must say, I am not a fan of introducing to the game I play yet). What do you think of the new changes? Comment below with your opinions and whether you think these changes will improve the enjoyment of hockey?