KUALA LUMPUR: Apart from facing Repton HC on Sunday, the national hockey juniors will have to deal with the Autumn showers.
The Malaysian juniors are on an eight-match Tour of Britain until Oct 16, to sharpen their claws for the Junior World Cup (JWC) in India on Nov 24- Dec 5.
Twenty-one players are on the tour with half the team playing outside the country for the first time.
"The quarantine (six days) is over, and we have been warming up in small pockets at the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, where our hostel is also located," said team manager I. Vikneswaran.
"All the players have been certified healthy after a few Covid-19 tests, and our first match against a senior club side, Repton HC, is as scheduled.
"Some players might feel the brunt of competing in their first match after training online for long periods due to Covid-19, and I expect the autumn London rainy weather to play a negative role as well.
"Half the team will also be competing overseas for the very first time. I expect some culture shock but it is needed for them to get ready for the JWC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar end of November," said team manager I. Vikneswaran.
Repton HC is a three-hour bus ride away from Bisham Abbey, and Malaysia will be playing against a mature side.
"Next will be two matches against the England Under-21 side (Oct 5-6) and this will be the real test for our players as the hosts are also getting ready for the JWC as well," said Vikneswaran.
Meanwhile, the senior national team, who are also on a one-month tour of Britain, will finally get to play in the Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka, if Covid-19 permits.
The tournament has been postponed numerous times because of the pandemic, but the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) are optimistic that Dec 14-24 will be a feasible window.
AHF said in statement: "New dates of the men's Asian Champions Trophy have been confirmed with the Bangladesh Hockey Federation, and are also approved by the International Hockey Federation.
"The sixth edition of the biennial event will take place at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
"Japan, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia and Bangladesh will go head-to-head for the crown (and also valuable world ranking points)."