Hockey: Different styles to add to minnows' experience

New Zealand player, Lisa Walton competes for the ball with Jill Orbinson during the Olympic Hockey Qualifier match between the New Zealand Black Sticks and Ireland played at Lloyd Elsmore Park in 2004.

Ireland coach Graham Shaw says they are not Rio Olympic contenders but that doesn't mean they are in Hawke's Bay simply to make up numbers.

"We want to show everyone we can compete at this level," says the 37-year-old from Dublin, an ex-international player who was assistant coach to former coach Darren Smith, of New Zealand, for two years before becoming finding himself at the helm last July.

"Realistically we'd like to play better than our rankings, so with that format of the quarterfinal anything can happen with a semifinal possible but if that doesn't happen we'll look at qualifiers."

The Irish boast an average age of 22.5 (85 to 90 caps).

"In a year we'll be around 23 years and, hopefully, averaging 100 caps so we're young but experienced and happy where we're sit."

They intend to show they have players who can match any other in the world and a tight-knit outfit who'll be difficult to beat.

Ireland have slipped from 13th to 15th in the world rankings.

They are still smarting after failing to qualify for the Rio Olympics in a penalty shootout to China in Valencia, Spain, last July.

"I think to play at this level of competition in an Olympic year when we're not going is top drawer for us because we only get to play these teams in Olympics or World Cups," says Shaw, pleased as punch as a European team to measure their worth against nations "on the other side of the world".

"I pushed for the invite because we get to play against different styles we don't experience playing year in, year out in Europe.

"To play against Asian and Australian styles is fantastic for us."

That they are in the building phase of the World Cup qualifiers makes it an ideal scenario.

"We're delighted they have accepted us."

Ireland, Shaw says, won't be short of passion.

"We're going to get a group of people who are very close and very proud of where they are from so they'll show a lot of fight."

Ireland will pack a lot of tactical and technical nous to show a slightly different style to other sides.