Hockey: Experience counts against Canada

Experienced midfielder Darren Smith has been named captain of the New Zealand team for the five-test series against Canada, which begins in Palmerston North today.

Smith, the country's sixth most capped player, with 137 international appearances, takes over from Simon Towns who led New Zealand to a bronze medal at last month's Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.

The unavailability of Towns (in England) and Canterbury forward Gareth Brooks (in Holland) has opened the way for fringe players to prove they should be selected for the Champions Challenge tournament in South Africa in July. The tests will be the final stage of the selection process for that trip.

New Zealand coach Kevin Towns was unable to confirm a starting 11 for today. But he indicated that the run-on side for Palmerston North would be loaded with experience in key positions to help newcomers mould comfortably into the game plan.

The New Zealand side will be based around Dion Gosling (121 caps) and lethal penalty corner finisher Hayden Shaw in defence; skipper Smith, Ryan Archibald (98) and Wayne McIndoe (62) in midfield; and the country's most capped player Umesh Parag (175), Bevan Hari (109) and Phil Burrows (70) in the forward line.

North Harbour's Casey Henwood is also expected to be introduced into the centre-half position, while his provincial team-mate David Kosoof and Canterbury's Peter Stafford will also have early opportunities.

Forward Kosoof, who was video operator at the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament, is back after a rib injury, and Stafford, who last played for New Zealand at last year's Manchester Commonwealth Games, will compete for a position in the wing-halves.

Towns is keen to address the positions of goalkeeper, the third fullback, cover for left-half and centre-half and a final striker. And with five players likely to retire after next year, he is also looking to rebuild for the 2008 Olympics.

"You can rely on us to come up with a pretty strong platform for the first test," he said.

"During the game we're highly likely to include one or two new players, giving them the opportunity to perform in the best possible team."

While using the series mainly to address future selection, Towns promised that New Zealand, with a world ranking of ninth to the Canadians' 17th, would be determined to perform competitively against the visitors.

"There is absolutely no way we will be taking them lightly. They can be quite a defensive side and we know they can play a good counter-attack."

When the countries last met, at Manchester last year, New Zealand won 3-2 before going on to claim the Commonwealth Games silver medal.

"We really had to work hard that day to come back from behind in the final minutes.

"It was a tough one. We know what they are capable of."

New Zealand beat the national academy side 6-0 on Wednesday night and the Canadians beat them 2-0.

New Zealand squad: Mitesh Patel, David Kosoof, Darren Smith, Wayne McIndoe, Dion Gosling, Blair Hopping, Dean Couzins, Casey Henwood, Ryan Archibald, Umesh Parag, Bevan Hari, Paul Woolford, Kyle Pontifex, Phillip Burrows, Hayden Shaw, James Nation, Bryce Collins, Lloyd Stephenson, Peter Stafford.

- NZPA

* TV details: Live on TV One, 1pm.