SA men's hockey coach Garreth Ewing steps down ahead of World Cup

Ewing, who was one of the finalists for the FIH Coach of the Year in 2022, has been at the helm since 2018 and has coached South Africa in 63 Tests.

Under Ewing's tenure, the South African men's hockey team had up-and-down performances.

A memorable 4-3 victory over Germany at the Tokyo Olympics lifted South Africa's hopes and led them to be invited to the FIH Pro League for a season.

Earlier this year, South Africa recorded their first-ever victory over New Zealand in a major tournament at the Commonwealth Games. The result saw the men's hockey team advance to the semi-finals in Birmingham for the first time in 20 years.

Interim CEO of South African Hockey, Shaune Baartjies, thanked Ewing for his service.

"We would like to thank Garreth for his efforts with the South African Hockey Men," she said.

"We are undoubtedly in a better place than when he took over the team and we have become a worthy competitor to the best nations in the world. Garreth, we wish you all the best for your next challenges and look forward to seeing you on the side of the turf."

The South African hockey team is preparing for the resumption of the FIH Nations Cup, set to be held in Potchefstroom from 28 November-4 December.

SA Hockey has appointed interim head coach Cheslyn Gie to oversee the next period of action for the SA Hockey Men.

"The opportunity to lead the country is an absolute privilege," Gie said in a press statement.

"We have made great strides in the team in the past couple of years and we will look to build on it in the upcoming tournaments."

The SA men are in Pool A for the Nations Cup as they take on France, Ireland and Pakistan, with the two top teams progressing to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the SA men's side has a few months to prepare for