Hockey: Squad to get plenty of series game time

Black Sticks coach Mark Hager. Photo / Dean Purcell

Black Sticks coach Mark Hager plans to give all 19 players in his squad plenty of game time in the five-match test series with Korea which starts at Lloyd Elsmore today.

With as close to a full strength team as he has had for some time, Hager sees the series as a key launching pad for the busy year of international play for our top women.

The team, to be co-captained by Kayla Sharland and Emily Naylor, will play the visitors in matches in Auckland, Whangarei (on Tuesday and Thursday) and back in Auckland next weekend.

With goalkeeper Bianca Russell sidelined by injury, but hopefully recovered in time for next month's home series against Japan, Hager will have a good look at Sally Rutherford and promising Amelia Gibson with Northland's Caroline Stuart to play for the New Zealand A team in their five matches against the Koreans.

The series is important for Hager and his team.

"They finished sixth at the World Cup and are ranked just one place below us at eighth," said Hager.

"It will be a good test for us. We haven't won a series with this team and this won't be any easier. In the past the Koreans have had the wood on us."

New Zealand have prepared well with Naylor, Krystal Forgesson and Gemma Flynn all back with the squad after fulfilling their European commitments.

While some players will be allowed to return to Europe later in the year, Hager has made it very clear that next year the total focus will be on the London Olympics.

"When we go to the Champions Trophy in Holland in June-July we will have our best 18 players identified," said Hager.

"We have a European tour before that on which I might take some other players."

The team will have a series here against 13th-ranked United States in September as a final preparation for October's Oceania Cup in Australia.

While Oceania are guaranteed two Olympic spots, Hager is taking the cup seriously.

There is the possibility it could be a three-team tournament if Samoa enters.

The late cancellation of Japan's visit has left the Black Sticks men now with just games against the sixth-ranked Korea and 13th-ranked Belgium.

Korea will play Belgium in today's early game before New Zealand meet the Belgians in the late games in Whangarei on Tuesday and Thursday.

The Koreans have stepped in to replace Japan in two of their three matches and the seventh-ranked Black Sticks will now play them in five tests.

In the absence of injured captain Phil Burrows, Shea McAleese will lead the team who will still play the three scheduled tests with Belgium - two in Whangarei and the third in the televised game at Lloyd Elsmore Park a week tomorrow.

The series - and the matches involving New Zealand A - will give coach Shane McLeod the opportunity to look at many players before naming his team squad for May's Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia where five of the world's top eight nations will be in action.

What's on

Korea v Belgium (men)

Lloyd Elsmore Park, 2.30pm today

New Zealand v Korea (women)

Lloyd Elsmore Park, 5pm today