KEY POINTS:
Beijing beckons but yesterday Ben Collier's main concern was making it to the church on time.
Collier played a key hand as the men's Black Sticks lashed Japan 7-4 in the second of their four-test international series in Tauranga but the midfielder also wanted a quick escape to cousin Matt Collier's wedding.
Luckily for the 53-test veteran his cousin, a former national league basketballer, was getting hitched in Tauranga, making for a near-seamless transfer to the reception.
"I missed the service, which was a bit of a bummer but understandable in the circumstances, and it's made for a pretty busy day," Collier said.
New Zealand, who opened the series with a 5-3 win in Auckland on Thursday, had the high-octane attack yesterday, which was just as well as their defensive frailties gave away scoring opportunities.
It wasn't one for the purists but the 600-strong crowd revelled in the score-at-all-costs mindset.
Collier agreed it was rare to play in such a free-flowing game.
"The last 12 months have been about creating chances and today we showed we can score field goals, not just from penalty corners."
Playing with ace drag flicker Hayden Shaw and the midfield brilliance of skipper Ryan Archibald, who both missed Thursday's game, New Zealand conceded an early goal from a penalty corner to Takahiko Yamabori before hitting back through Simon Child, Archibald and Phil Burrows.
Yoshihiro Anai cut the gap to one through a penalty corner variation late in the half before Shaw's deflected drag flick made it 4-2 after the break.
A second Yamabori drag flick cut the buffer again, Gareth Brooks and Child netted to make it 6-3, with strikes from Kazuhiro Tsubouchi and Bevan Hari rounding it out.
New Zealand coach Shane McLeod was ecstatic with his side's ruthlessness up front but less enamoured with the work at the other end.
"The guys up front are running really good lines, with good understanding and collective flair, and if you take four goals [then] you have to be able to score more then four to win the game, so in that regard I'm happy.
"But there's elements of our defence we need to look at and improve because generally if you defend well you win more than you lose. We were lucky everything fired up front."
Collier, who went to the 2006 Commonwealth Games, is desperate to get to Beijing.
The Black Sticks' need to win their Olympic qualifying tournament at North Harbour next month against Argentina, Ireland, France, United States, Ireland and Trinidad and Tobago.
"I've really enjoyed the experience of committing myself to a goal, especially one as big as Beijing, but it's starting to dawn on us that there's also a lot at stake."
New Zealand wrap up the series today and Tuesday in Tauranga.
New Zealand 7 (Simon Child 2, Phil Burrows, Ryan Archibald, Hayden Shaw, Gareth Brooks, Bevan Hari goals) Japan 4 (Takahiko Yamabori 2, Yoshihiro Anai, Kazuhiro Tsubouchi goals). HT: 3-2.
