India pooled alongside Germany, Holland for 2016 Rio Olympics

Eight-time champions India have been clubbed alongside title holders Germany and World No 2 Netherlands in Pool B at the men's hockey competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Besides, Germany and Netherlands, other teams in India's pool are Argentina (ranked 6th), Ireland (12) and Canada (14).

World No 7 India had defeated the Netherlands en route to the bronze medal in the Hockey World League Final earlier this month.

The teams in Pool A are reigning world and Hockey World League champions and World No 2 Australia, Great Britain (4), 2015 Hockey World League runners-up Belgium (5), New Zealand (8); Spain (11) and hosts Brazil (32).

The hockey event in Rio Olympics will be played according to the new format that includes knock quarter-final round and India just need to beat lower-ranked Ireland and Canada to qualify for the last eight.

Meanwhile, the Indian eves, the lowest ranked team in Rio, have been placed alongside Argentina (2), Australia (3), Great Britain (6), USA (7) and Japan (10) in Pool B.

While Pool A in the women's section consists of defending Olympic and reigning world champions Netherlands, 2015 Hockey World League runners-up New Zealand (4), China (5), Germany (8), Korea (9) and Spain (14).

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed the line-up on Monday after Spain’s women’s and New Zealand’s men’s teams officially accepted invitations to participate in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games hockey events.

Both teams received invitations after the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) rejected invitations for South Africa's men's and women's hockey teams, a statement from the FIH read.