KEY POINTS:
Kevin Towns will be looking for some mongrel from his Black Sticks players when they contest next month's Champions Challenge tournament in Azerbaijan.
Towns, about to embark on his first overseas foray with the national women's team, bemoaned the lack of physicality by his players in going down 3-1 to Australia in the recent series in the South Island.
"The message has gone out," said Towns. "They have to be more ferocious in the way they go about winning the ball. The relaxing of the rules in this regard encourages that. Provided the umpiring is good enough, players can be more direct."
Towns said while he had the players in camp before and during the Australian series he kept his whistle out of his mouth longer than he might have in the past.
"I didn't mind a fair bit of argy-bargy," he said. "But we need a bit more."
While he could have named 18 players for the tournament from which the winner will qualify for next year's Champions Trophy, Towns has opted to take only 17. He has, however, included Kayla Sharland in the touring party although she will not play.
"She is coming back from a knee injury and while she did do some sessions while we were in camp, I don't want to risk her at this stage," said Towns.
"Her knee, coupled with the hamstring problems she has had in the past, are taking a while to get right.
"By taking her with us, we can monitor that progress and the work she will do will get her closer to match fitness."
Of the 20 players involved against Australia, Towns has left out Northland's Laura Douglas and the injured Stacey Carr and Tara Drysdale.
"What we really want to do is win this tournament as that would get us to the Champions Trophy which at this stage is proposed to be played in Germany from May 17-25 which would be an ideal lead-in to the Olympics."
The Black Sticks are the second-ranked side for the Azerbaijan tournament, but with little between the teams in terms of world rankings, Towns knows there will be no easy games.
