Hockey: Black Sticks thrash India but tougher challenges loom

New Zealand women's hockey coach Ian Rutledge has tempered expectations of his remodelled team after they beat India 4-0 today in the first of two Champions Trophy warm-up matches in Holland.

Though the Black Sticks, shorn of a dozen players chosen for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games campaign in March, were convincing Rutledge said the quality of performance would have to improve ahead of Sunday morning's (NZT) Trophy opener against Argentina in Amsterdam.

"When you have the top six teams in the world in the one tournament it's going to be very difficult," Rutledge said.

"At World Cups and the Olympics you only have one or two of the best teams in the world in pool play -- never all six together.

"It's going to be a real challenge for us."

India are not ranked high enough to qualify for the Trophy competition and offered little tangible opposition for an interchangeable Black Sticks line-up that won convincingly on the back of goals from Krystal Forgesson, Jo Galletly, Di Weaver and Stacey Carr.

Rutledge gave all 18 of his squad members game time.

While happy with the overall team effort, the Australian singled out the contributions of Emily Naylor and Rachel Robertson, who effectively bossed the midfield.

The duo will need to play a pivotal role if the Black Sticks are to improve on their world ranking of six in a tournament that is something of a consolation prize after missing qualification for September's World Cup in Spain.

Rather than set his sights too high Rutledge, whose contract ends with Hockey New Zealand on October 31, said the Trophy was simply a pathway to the Beijing Olympics for a team that has undergone radical surgery since the Commonwealth Games.

"The preparation for Beijing starts now and this is really a good opportunity to provide matches for some of the players that have been on the fringe for the last 12 months," he said.

Northland striker Laura Douglas is the only uncapped member of the squad though defenders Sheree Phillips, Kate Mahon, 16-year-old forward Charlotte Harrison and midfielder Kate Saunders all have fewer than 25 caps -- a relatively low number in hockey terms.

Since Melbourne a steady stream of players have been unavailable due to retirement, injury or, in leading defender Lizzy Igasan's case, a personality clash with Rutledge.

Retired captain Suzie Muirhead, injured duo Kayla Sharland and Michelle Hollands were also key losses.

Argentina, ranked No 2 in the world, loom as an acid test for the new-look Black Sticks with the South Americans totally dominant in their most recent clashes.

The Black Sticks lost 0-3 at the Athens Olympics two years ago and were thumped 6-0 at the Champions Trophy, also in 2004, on Argentina's home turf.

There will be no respite in the round-robin format, with the New Zealanders pitted against the third-ranked Australians and world No 1 ranked Dutch on Monday and Tuesday.

- NZPA