Big Northland contingent set to be tested at home

It's not very often you get the second best hockey team in the world playing in Whangarei ... it's good for hockey and it's good for the community.Grant McLeod, Northland Hockey chief executive Northland hockey fans are in for a treat next week when the Black Sticks women play two test matches against Argentina at ITM Rosvall Stadium.
A third test  will be played at Pukekohe's Rosa Birch Park.
With seven players from the northern region named in the Black Sticks squad this year, the  test matches should generate huge interest and support.
Northland players in the 18-strong national squad are Jasmin McQuinn, Charlotte Harrison, Samantha Harrison, Alana Millington, Ella Gunson, Anna Thorpe and Stacey Michelsen.  Sixteen will be chosen to line up for each match against the Argentinians.
Returning Black Sticks player McQuinn, 19, said it would be a huge thrill to play in front her home crowd.
"A lot of my family and friends haven't seen me play an international match before," she said.
"Mark Hager [Black Sticks coach] has named all the Northland girls as a lot of them haven't played an international before - such as Anna [Thorpe], Ella [Gunson] and Stacey [Michelsen] and that way they can make their test debut in front of their home crowd."
Last weekend, the Black Sticks were in action against India at Christchurch and Nelson but the three matches were not classed as  tests  because only six of India's top women travelled to play New Zealand who are ranked 11th in the world.
New Zealand  won all three games against India convincingly, but the series against the second-ranked Argentine women would be considerably tougher, McQuinn said.
"We are quite nervous. While we gained a little confidence from our wins against India, we'll just have to see what happens on the day."
The Kiwi contingent had been responding to their new coach Hager well, and their game
 plans and patterns had
been forming nicely, McQuinn  said.
Meanwhile, Northland Hockey chief executive Grant McLeod said having any type of international sport in Whangarei was a huge boost for the district.
"It's not very often you get the second best hockey team in the world playing in Whangarei," he said.
"It's a very good chance to lift the profile of the game, and having the seven girls from up here in the squad is great ... it is really neat to see people play for New Zealand."
The test matches would  provide a dose of inspiration to those who played the game.
"It's good for hockey and it's good for the community," McLeod said.
New Zealand play Argentina in Whangarei on July 3  at 7pm, and on July 4 at 4pm. Tickets are $12 per adult, $5 child (5-17), under-5s are free.
A third test match  at Pukekohe will be on Monday, July 6.
There will be no time to recover, with the Black Sticks backing up for a two-test series against third-ranked China on July 7-8 at Hamilton and Pukekohe.