Hockey: NZ form 'not good enough'

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Robin Wilson admits the New Zealand men's hockey team's results at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament have been disappointing, but counters that by saying the standard this year is much higher than last.

As coach of a team still chasing a place at Sydney 2000, Wilson is all too aware of the benefits his team can gain from the Malaysian tournament but is honest enough to admit one point from four games is not good enough.

"It has been very competitive and invaluable preparation for next month's Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan," said Wilson. "There have been things that have not gone our way - including having two players sent off against Malaysia and Pakistan - but overall we have been up against some very good teams.

"Malaysia are playing their best hockey ever. In losing 3-2 to Pakistan they were fantastic - and they are the only team here ranked below New Zealand. We lost Andrew Hastie with a broken finger before the first game and have other injury worries, including Craig Russ with a hamstring problem."

And there is, as always, the heat.

Phillip Burrows, in his first overseas outings with the national side, struggled early on but is now feeling more comfortable in the sapping conditions.

Wilson said that while the games were a key part in the team's build-up to the tournament in Japan, he was uncertain "at this stage" whether there would be personnel changes after the Kuala Lumpur tournament.

"It has been invaluable preparation and we know where we are going," said Wilson. "What, if any, changes will be made, I can't say yet."

There has been some experimenting in the line-ups for the first four games - New Zealand were to play their fifth game against Germany late last night - with goalkeepers Scott Anderson and Paul Woolford sharing that duty.

Others who have played regularly are fullbacks Wayne McIndoe and Andrew Timlin, halves Dion Gosling, Simon Towns and Craig Russ, inside forwards Ryan Archibald and Greg Russ, wings Burrows and Umesh Parag and centre forward Bevan Hari. Brett Leaver has switched between left back and left half depending on injuries.

New Zealand's last pool game is against India in the early hours of Friday morning (NZ time).