KEY POINTS:
Schoolboy Nick Wilson has been included in the New Zealand men's hockey team to contest the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia next month.
Wilson, 17 and originally from Palmerston North Boys High, has moved to North Harbour as part of the Black Sticks' centralisation programme.
He made his internatonal debut against Korea last November but wasn't involved in the Olympic qualifying tournament which New Zealand won in February.
A strong showing from Wilson at the Azlan Shah tournament at Ipoh from May 8-18 may force coach Shane McLeod into making some tough calls when time comes to name his squad of 16 for the Beijing Olympic Games.
Wilson gets his chance at the expense of 200-test veteran Bevan Hari, although McLeod stressed Hari remained well in contention for Beijing.
Bryce Collins, who injured his knee against Australia last November is still not considered for selection. He is expected to return to club hockey at the end of April.
Lloyd Stephenson and Richard Petherick are the other national squad members to miss selection for the tournament, althoguh all will be considered for the team to tour Europe in June as an Olympic warmup.
The Black Sticks will play three other Beijing-bound teams at the Azlan Shah tournament - Pakistan, Belgium and Canada.
Powerful teams from India and Malaysia make up the six teams.
New Zealand, ranked 10th in the world, are the third highest-ranked team competing in the tournament behind Pakistan (sixth) and India (ninth). Behind them are Belgium (12th), Malaysia (14th) and Canada (15th).
Although McLeod was keen to win this tournament, he pointed out the team would be subjected to an overload of training sessions prior to and during the tournament.
This was to expose the players to high pressure hockey in humid conditions while fatigued - a method that will ideally pay dividends in the heat and humidity of Beijing.
Squad
Ryan Archibald (Auckland, captain), Gareth Brooks (Auckland), Phil Burrows (Wellington), Simon Child (Auckland), Ben Collier (North Harbour), Dean Couzins (Auckland), Steve Edwards (North Harbour), Nick Wilson (Central), Andy Hayward (Canterbury), Casey Henwood (Midlands), Blair Hopping (North Harbour), David Kosoof (North Harbour), Shea McAleese (Central), James Nation (Auckland), Kyle Pontifex (Wellington), Bradley Shaw (Canterbury), Hayden Shaw (Canterbury), Paul Woolford (Auckland)
- NZPA
