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New Zealand will be back to full strength when they reach the Cyprus Cup women's soccer tournament next month.
The Football Ferns line up against Canada, Russia and the Netherlands in Group B of the eight-nation tournament in the Mediterranean, boosted by the return of three overseas players who missed New Zealand's tour of China in January.
Olympic Games standout Ali Riley missed that trip due to academic commitments at Stanford University while defenders Rebecca Smith and Marlies Oostdam had club commitments in Australia's W-League with Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory respectively.
Smith has now signed for the German Bundesliga club Vfl Wolfsburg.
With the trio absent from China, head coach John Herdman blooded a host of under-17 and under-20 players and two of those teenage debutants - Rosie White and Sarah McLaughlin - have retained their spots in the 18-strong squad for Cyprus.
"There are still eight players who played in last year's under-20 World Cup in this squad so to have the experience of older players like Smith and Oostdam and others like Kristy Hill and Jenny Bindon is crucial both on and off the pitch," Herdman said.
With all three of New Zealand's opponents ranked between 11 and 17 in the world, Herdman was relishing the prospect of benchmarking his young side against nations in the second tier of women's football.
The world No 24 Football Ferns have played Canada four times since 2007 - losing three and drawing the most recent match.
England, Scotland, South Africa and France make up Group A with the top team in each group meeting in a March 11 final, and other teams playing off for final placings.
New Zealand Squad:
Jenny Bindon, Aroon Clansey, Abby Erceg, Anna Green, Kristy Hill, Rebecca Smith, Marlies Oostdam, Betsy Hassett, Katie Hoyle, Annalie Longo, Hayley Moorwood, Ria Percival, Ali Riley. Kirsty Yallop, Amber Hearn, Emma Kete, Sarah McLaughlin, Rosie White
Schedule:
* March 5: v Canada at Paralimni
* March 7: v Russia at Nicosia
* March 10: v the Netherlands at Paralimni
* March 12: Final or placing playoff
- NZPA
