Hockey: Collier's omission puts heat on squads

Ben Collier. Photo / Dean Purcell

One hundred test veteran Ben Collier is the most glaring omission from the two national men's hockey squads named yesterday to contest international tournaments in July-August.

North Harbour midfielder Collier, who has also played extensively in Europe in recent years, has won 107 caps for the Black Sticks but his name was missing when national coach Shane McLeod released his 18-strong squads for the Four-Nations tournament in England and the Champions Trophy in Germany.

"There are things Ben needs to work on," admitted McLeod yesterday. "He did not fit into either of the squads we named."

Of the players who were at the World Cup in March, Collier and North Harbour striker Priyesh Bhana (included as a late replacement for Simon Child) are the only two players who are not named in either squad while North Harbour's David Green and Joseph Bartholomew have been named only for the Four-Nations.

Wellington, formerly Otago, defender Blair Tarrant, 20, is the only newcomer named in both squads while Wellington striker Stephen Jenness is to debut under captain Shea McAleese at the Nottingham tournament.

The Champions Trophy squad will be the strongest McLeod has put out this year.

Child returns along with Hayden and Brad Shaw, who both missed the World Cup, while captain Phil Burrows, who played only the early matches at the World Cup before breaking a bone in his leg, will be back for the Champions Trophy.

Burrows, along with Child, Collier and New Zealand's most capped international Ryan Archibald are among those playing club hockey in Europe.

Burrows, Archibald, Hayden Shaw, Blair Hopping, Dean Couzins and Kyle Pontifex will play only the Champions Trophy which is rated second only to the World Cup on the international calendar.

The Black Sticks, seventh on FIH rankings, will be the lowest-ranked team in Monchengladbach behind World Cup winners and the top-ranked nation Australian, Germany (2), Netherlands (3), Spain (4) and England (6).

New Zealand won their place ahead of the fifth-ranked Koreans when they won December's Champions Challenge in Salta, Argentina, beating Pakistan 4-2 in the final.

McLeod is pleased to have the opportunity to add further depth to his pool of international players by including Tarrant and Jenness.

He admits some players did not produce their best at the World Cup and by bringing in new players he hopes to exert pressure as he builds towards the Commonwealth Games.

"There is already some pressure to perform," said McLeod. "Whereas we can take 18 players to England and Germany only 16 will go to New Delhi for the Commonwealth Games."

All players are expected back in New Zealand next month before leaving for Nottingham in early July where they will round-off their preparations with three warm-up matches.

NZ MEN'S TEAMS

Four-Nations Tournament
Nottingham, England (July 12-17)

Joel Baker (Wellington), Joseph Bartholomew (North Harbour), Simon Child (Auckland), Steve Edwards (North Harbour), Stephen Graham (Midlands), David Green (North Harbour), Nick Haig (Canterbury), Andy Hayward (Midlands), Blair Hilton (Wellington), Hugo Inglis (Midlands), Stephen Jenness (Wellington), Shea McAleese (Central) captain, Arun Panchia (Auckland), Richard Petherick (Midlands), Brad Shaw (Canterbury), Blair Tarrant (Wellington), Nick Wilson (North Harbour) plus a second goalkeeper tbc.

Champions Trophy
Monchengladbach, Germany (July 31-August 8)

Ryan Archibald (Auckland), Phil Burrows (Wellington) captain, Child, Dean Couzins (Auckland), Edwards, Graham, Haig, Hayward, Hilton, Blair Hopping (North Harbour), Inglis, McAleese, Panchia, Kyle Pontifex (Wellington), Brad Shaw, Hayden Shaw (Canterbury), Tarrant, Wilson.