Hager sticks largely to bronze winners

Black Sticks Women's coach Mark Hager named an almost unchanged team to play at next month's FIH Champions Trophy in Argentina; keeping together the successful side that competed at the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam this year.

Hager, who recently extended his Hockey New Zealand contract to coach the national women's side for two more years, made two changes to team that won bronze in the Netherlands - North Harbour's Rhiannon Dennison and Midlands player Samantha Charlton replaces Northland's Anna Thorpe and Ella Gunson.

"Ella had an operation three weeks ago on both of her shins for compartment syndrome and we thought it wasn't worth pushing her over the next six weeks to get her ready on time," Hager said after the team was announced yesterday.

Thorpe was taking some time off hockey for personal reasons, but would be back on board and training with the team early in the new year, he added.

"Both are still definitely in contention for the Olympic team and are just having some time off," he said.

The Black Sticks, who are ranked sixth in the world, know how difficult it will be to replicate their medal winning form of 2011, at the 20th edition of the women's Champions Trophy. It is the last major international tournament before the London Olympic Games in August, and seven of the eight teams who will contest the tournament have already secured their spot in the 2012 Games with only Japan still to qualify.

"This tournament is the last chance to assess ourselves against the top eight teams and analyse and scout other teams in preparation for the London Olympics. We know it will be a real challenge to get onto the podium again," Hager said.

The Black Sticks have a strong competition schedule leading into the Champions Trophy.

The team will compete at a Four Nations Tournament in Cordoba (Argentina) against Korea, Great Britain and Argentina from January 18-22. They then go to Rosario to play a practice match against Japan and China.

"The Four Nations and practice games give the team a chance to compete, as well as rest key players in the lead up to the Champions Trophy," the coach said.

Playing in Pool B, the Black Sticks will take on No 2 side Argentina first up before facing eighth-ranked Korea and third-ranked Germany. Three of the teams in this pool were in the top four at last year's Champions Trophy - NZ, Argentina and Korea.

A revised Champions Trophy format from 2011 will see teams go from pool play to quarter-finals and semifinals rather than points determining the final day medal play-offs.

The team have their last training session today before breaking for Christmas. They return to the turf on January 4 and depart for Argentina on January 15 ahead of the FIH 2012 Champions Trophy in Rosario, Argentina, from January 28-February 5.

Black Sticks Women to play at the Champions Trophy/Four Nations: Kayla Sharland, Emily Naylor, Krystal Forgesson, Katie Glynn, Sally Rutherford, Alana Millington, Amelia Gibson (Four Nations only), Samantha Charlton, Julia King (Four Nations only), Clarissa Eshuis, Lucy Talbot, Rhiannon Dennison, Samantha Harrison, Cathryn Finlayson, Gemma Flynn, Sophie Devine, Charlotte Harrison, Bianca Russell, Stacey Michelsen, Anita Punt.