Hockey: Unbeaten Southern face tough test

National Hockey League action hots up today with men's co-leaders Auckland and Capital squaring off in the match of the day at the North Harbour Hockey Stadium.

In a later game, surprise packet Southern, enjoying like Auckland and Capital a perfect record after last weekend's opening rounds, face their toughest test going stick-for-stick with defending champions North Harbour, also unbeaten.

After two rounds at various venues last weekend, all remaining matches, culminating in the finals a week tomorrow, will now be played at North Harbour.

Canterbury head the women's table as the only team with a two-from-two start in their chase for a second title after last winning in 2002. They had big wins over Capital and defending champions Central to set a solid platform. Canterbury meet Southern in today's early game.

Central were handed a lifeline in the defence of their title after early results - on appeal - showed they had been held 1-1 by Southern before losing 4-1 to Canterbury in the second round.

Subsequently it was ruled their first-up draw would revert to the 2-1 win, giving Central three invaluable points. Central meet Capital - a loss and a draw - today and Northland, 2-1 opening round winners over Auckland, tomorrow.

It will be no easier for Auckland this weekend. They meet North Harbour this afternoon and high-flying Canterbury tomorrow while North Harbour, seeking to join Capital as the only three-time women's winners, meet Capital tomorrow.

In the men's competition North Harbour, with home advantage in hosting the remaining games as they seek to retain their title and chase an unprecedented fifth, face a testing double-header with a game against perennial rivals Auckland in tomorrow's feature.

Southern and Northland have been forced to call in replacements after losing key players to opening weekend injuries.

Southern's Damien Watson limped out of their opening 3-0 win over Central with a broken ankle and has been replaced by Matt Greene, while Troy Sutherland, one of Northland's international guest players, broke his arm in Saturday's 7-0 loss to Auckland.

He was replaced for Sunday's game - the 4-2 loss to North Harbour - by fellow Australian Josh Miller, who will take Sutherland's place in the squad for the remaining rounds.

James Nation, playing for Southern, is hampered by a hamstring injury but is expected to play.