Hockey: Experienced hands in squad for junior World Cup

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Six senior internationals have been named in a strong New Zealand men's under-21 hockey team to play in the junior World Cup in Hobart in October.

Ryan Archibald, who has already played more than 50 internationals for the senior side, will captain the team, who grabbed their qualifying spot by beating defending champions Australia in Hobart last November.

He will be joined by fellow internationals Kyle Pontifex, Dean Cousins, Blair Hopping, Phil Burrows and Lloyd Stephenson.

The team, coached by Craig Hobbs, leave for the October 9-21 tournament on October 4.

They are hoping at least to match the under-21 women's team who finished a creditable fifth in their recent junior World Cup in Argentina.

The men hope to have warm-up games in Tasmania against Chile and the Netherlands.

They have been drawn in a tough pool including Malaysia, Argentina and Germany.

New Zealand: Kyle Pontifex (Wellington), David Rankin (Otago), Hayden Shaw (Canterbury), Dean Child (Waikato), Dean Cousins (Otago), Bradley Shaw (Canterbury), Casey Henwood (Waikato), Ryan Archibald (Auckland) captain, Dean Ritani (Otago), David Samuels (Auckland), Shaun Barnett (Nelson), Blair Hopping (Waikato), Phil Burrows (Wellington), Jonathan Brooker (Otago), Lloyd Stephenson (North Harbour), Mark Laurence (Canterbury).