Hockey: Juniors face tough start to World Cup

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand under-21 coach Craig Hobbs admits he is more worried about the pool matches than post-section play at the junior World Cup.

"I'm confident that if we can get through our section games against Malaysia, Germany and Argentina, we can go on and have a shot at winning the tournament," Hobbs said. "But those pool matches are going to be hard."

The top two teams in each section progress while the bottom two can aim for no better than ninth at the tournament, which starts in Hobart on Tuesday.

With no apparent ranking system, New Zealand have been pitched into arguably the hardest section.

Germany finished second behind Spain in the European qualifying tournament, Malaysia (who have been together since February) finished third in Asia behind South Korea and India, and Argentina won the Pan-Pacific (North, Central and South America) group.

"I'm a bit nervous really," Hobbs. "We can take something from our win over Australia last year, but things have moved on since then."

New Zealand beat Australia 6-1 and 3-2 in the first two qualifiers last November to take the three-match series - they lost the last 2-1 when the Australians scored from their second penalty stroke 11 seconds from time - to claim the Oceania junior World Cup berth. The Australians were guaranteed a place as hosts and defending champions.

The big plus for Hobbs and his team was yesterday's confirmation that Wellington attacker Phil Burrows will make the trip.

Burrows, a 42-match veteran in the senior national side, has missed the Lion Foundation national league through injury.

"He is a vital member of the team and provided we can give him some match time in the warm-up games, ... I'm sure he will be right for our clash with Malaysia on Wednesday," Hobbs said.

He said Australia, stung by their loss to New Zealand, had spent most of the year at a live-in training camp in Perth. They won a five-nation under-21 tournament in Kuala Lumpur as part of their build-up.

New Zealand are without six of the team who played in last year's qualifiers, but have retained key players, including full internationals Burrows, captain Ryan Archibald, Blair Hopping, Dean Couzins and Lloyd Stephenson.

While Hobbs will wait until after the warm-up games before naming a starting line-up for Wednesday, it seems Kyle Pontifex will be in goal, Couzins and Hayden Shaw the fullbacks, Dean Child, Casey Henwood and Bradley Shaw in the halves, Archibald and Hopping as inside forwards and Shaun Barnett, Burrows and Stephenson the strikers.

Post-section play begins on October 14, with the final a week later.