Hockey: Reading make Paris trip under new skipper Todd

With the start of the new National League season a week away, most teams have fixtures this weekend.

With the start of the new National League season a week away, most teams have fixtures this weekend.

The Premier champions, Reading, are in Paris under their new coach Pat Land and the new captain Rob Todd, for a four-team tournament. Today they take on Klein Zwitserland from The Hague, with tomorrow's likely opponents being RC Polo of Barcelona.

The Spanish club will feature a guest appearance from Reading's Mark Pearn, while Todd will be leading a new-look Reading, missing Jon Wyatt, Howard Hoskin and Ben Barnes.

On home soil, eight of the 12 Premier League Division One sides will be taking part in the curtain-raiser for the new season at Chelmsford. Tournament favourites Surbiton, although missing Brett Garrard and Ben Hawes, who have gone to play in the Dutch league, have been busily recruiting and will include Great Britain's Rob Moore, GB reserve goalkeeper Jon Ebsworth and Under 21 internationals Phil Webber and Matt Lee.

The first round of the men's national cup competition is on Sunday with past finalist Bromley travelling to Wimbledon.