Hockey: NZ hockey sides gearing up for testing visits

There are six debutants in the men's team named yesterday to play the Japanese - North Harbour goalkeeper Richard Joyce is one of them. Photo / Thinkstock

It's a big week ahead for New Zealand's national hockey teams with both in action at home against quality sides.

The national men's team will play four tests against world No14 Japan in Wellington and Kapiti, from November 18-22.

Around the same time, the women's Black Sticks have three tests in Wellington against world No2 Australia.

There are six debutants in the men's team named yesterday to play the Japanese - Auckland defender Dwayne Rowell, North Harbour goalkeeper Richard Joyce, Canterbury striker Richard Bain, Capital defender Dane Lett and Midlands' fast-rising midfielder Nic Woods.

"It's always exciting when players debut - six is a large number at once, but this selection is reflective of our need to create more depth in the squad," said men's coach Colin Batch.

With the retirement of the ageless veteran Dean Couzins, star attacker Simon Child takes over the captaincy of the sixth-ranked men for the series.

Although there is a sprinkling of novices, Child is one of five players in the squad with more than 100 internationals.

The women's series is a critical preparation for the fourth-ranked women's Black Sticks. They head to Mendoza, Argentina for the eight-nation Champions Trophy, starting on November 29.

The transtasman series starts on Saturday.

Black Sticks men
New Zealand men's squad to play Japan: Richard Bain, George Enersen, Nick Haig (Canterbury), Simon Child (c), Marcus Child, Arun Panchia, Dwayne Rowsell (Auckland), Joe Bartholomew, Cory Bennett, James Coughlan, Steve Edwards, Richard Joyce, George Muir (North Harbour), Dane Lett, Jacob Smith (Capital), Shay Neal (Northland), Nick Ross, Kane Russell, Blair Tarrant (Southern), Nic Woods (Midlands).