Hockey: Black Sticks lose 212-cap veteran

The Black Sticks will be without another of their most experienced players at this year's World Cup following Darren Smith's decision, after 212 internationals, to call it quits.

Smith, 32, told his teammates in the days between the Commonwealth Games and the just-completed World Cup qualifying tournament in China, where they beat Korea 4-1 in the final. That became official on the team's return yesterday.

Only Simon Towns (217 games) and Umesh Parag (214) won more caps than Smith, who made his debut as a 21-year-old against Spain at the 1995 Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia. That tournament, in June, will be the first Smith will miss.

"I did not want a fuss at the Commonwealth Games," said Smith in explaining his reasons for not making his decision public until now. "This is a great way to finish.

"I was pretty confident we would qualify for the World Cup, but I knew back in November I was unlikely to go to the World Cup. I needed surgery on a knee and ankle then.

"After the centralised training programme we then went through, I more or less made up my mind that I would not be ready to go through something like that again."

Under coaches Keith Gorringe, Robin Wilson and now Kevin Towns, he played almost all his hockey at inside-forward. He rates Phil Burrows and Ryan Archibald (who with 156 caps is the next player likely to join the 200 club) as the best he has played with.

"I also feel Blair Hopping and Hayden Shaw have done well and have more to offer yet."

He rates the 7-1 win over Pakistan at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, playing the Athens Olympics and the just-completed and highly successful qualifying tournament as the highlights. Failing to qualify for Sydney 2000 remains the biggest disappointment.

He intends playing for East Coast Bays and is keen to coach.

"I love coaching and hope to again be involved in the NHL. I would also love to be involved in the national programme sooner rather than later."

Towns, in Singapore for a short break, paid tribute to the role Smith has played but admitted, on his behalf, "There comes a time when the old body takes a bit longer to repair".

Towns said it had been a long, often arduous journey for the team, who left Auckland on March 7 and have played 12 games.

"It is not something we would choose to do, but the international federation took no real account of the Commonwealth Games in scheduling the qualifying tournament. It has been an awfully long trip. The guys have handled it very well.

"It will be good to get home and see some clear blue skies after virtually living every day in smog in Changzhou for the past couple of weeks."

Despite their success in booking a spot among the world's top 12 teams for September's World Cup in Germany, Towns has some concerns.

"We are still giving away cheap penalty corners with balls being played on to feet," said Towns, who added he was not surprised that Korea forced five penalty corners to New Zealand's none in the final.

"We are still searching for cover at the back, especially now that Bradley Shaw has done well in playing at left half, which has freed up Blair Hopping to play centre-half.

"This has allowed Ryan Archibald to move back to his more favoured inside-right role."

Towns said he had thanked his players for winning a World Cup spot but added no one was guaranteed a start there.

That call will be made after the team, who reassemble in Auckland on May 15 for another centralised training stint, have played in Malaysia in June.

Towns said Wayne McIndoe and Mitesh Patel, who were unavailable for the last two tournaments, could come back into consideration.