KEY POINTS:
As one of the strongest hockey nations in the world, the Dutch mean business any time they step on to the turf.
They had a disappointing World Cup in September where they eventually finished seventh, one place ahead of New Zealand.
"That [World Cup] was an accident," said
coach Roelant Oltmans, who has brought a team from the Netherlands to New Zealand for the first time since 1974 when they played a six-nation tournament in Christchurch. "For one or two reasons we did not get the results we wanted there.
"We played more than 35 games last year. Against Pakistan, as an example, we beat them 9-2 at the Champions Trophy - which we won - but then lost 3-2 at the World Cup. Outside the tournaments we played in 2006, we won almost all friendly games we played."
Therein lies evidence of the attitude Oltmans and his side will take into this series.
"Everyone in this squad has committed to the Olympics so every game we play is important. Our next big assignment is the European Championship, an eight-nation tournament in Manchester in August."
The Europeans are guaranteed three spots at Beijing and Oltmans is determined to nail one of those.
Although it is only the second Dutch team to have ventured here so far, Oltmans pointed to the relationship between the two countries and the number of New Zealanders playing in the Dutch league.
"New Zealand is a talented team. You never know what they are going to do."
In the two matches before last year's World Cup, in which the Dutch beat the Black Sticks 3-0 in the 7th-8th play-off, the two countries played scoreless draws at the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia and on New Zealand's European tour a year earlier.
"In the Azlan Shah they played very defensively," said Oltmans. "But they were more adventurous at the World Cup."
Oltmans has brought a well-balanced squad led by captain and 351-test veteran Jeroen Delmee; two-time world player of the year (2005-06) Teun de Nooijer, who has scored 167 goals in his 342 internationals; Roderick Weusthof, the leading goalscorer in the Dutch league; and returning midfielder Rob Derikx.
"We have also brought some under-21 players to give them some international experience," said Oltmans, who will take his team on to Australia for four tests after the third test in Mt Maunganui on Friday night.
Beyond that he has pencilled in regular internationals in the lead-up to the European Championships.
It is little surprise the Dutch are so highly regarded.
Despite playing second fiddle to football, hockey has 185,000 registered players - a number expected to grow to 250,000 in the next seven to 10 years. Twenty-five clubs boast memberships of 1500 to 2000.
"Football is far away the most popular sport in our country," said Oltmans. "But hockey is getting more and more media interest with both men's and women's national teams doing well."
Test match
New Zealand v The Netherlands
Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, 3pm tomorrow
