Hockey: Work keeps McIndoe out of team for Fiji

Experienced Auckland midfielder and their national hockey league captain Wayne McIndoe is out of the New Zealand men's team for this month's Oceania Cup tournament in Fiji.

McIndoe has been forced out through work commitments but holds his place in the 24-strong national squad from which the squads for the Commonwealth Games (16 players) and World Cup qualifiers (18) will be drawn if they do not beat Australia and Fiji in Suva to gain automatic cup entry.

He has been replaced by North Harbour striker Lloyd Stephenson.

Joining McIndoe as players in the national squad who will not go to Fiji are goalkeeper Michael Bevin, Bradley Shaw, James Nation, Ben Collier and Simon Child.

Nation was one of six players who did not play in the NHL but have been named in the squad. The others are Dean Couzins, Simon Towns, Mitesh Patel, Phil Burrows and Bevan Hari. All will play in the Oceania Cup.

After they return from Fiji the squad will train for two weeks before taking a break until early in the New Year when the national and 11-strong development squads will have a 10-day camp at North Harbour.

The national squad will then reassemble in Auckland in early February and remain here until September, taking in the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.

National coach Kevin Towns said while he had not yet spoken to everyone, the only players likely to join Dion Gosling in stepping down from international hockey were his son and Black Sticks captain, Simon, Mitesh Patel and possibly, at some stage, McIndoe.

Towns has also named a train-on squad of seven players.

The 27-strong national women's squad was also named yesterday and includes all players involved in the current Oceania World Cup qualifiers and a number of former internationals including Frances Kreft, Jo Galletly, Tara Drysdale, Kate Mahon and Jamie Provan.

Women's coach Ian Rutledge has also named 13 in a development squad and five in his train-on squad.