KEY POINTS:
It was inevitable that one day Black Sticks defender Lizzy Igasan would be handed the captain's armband.
As one of the world's best, Igasan has often been the face of the game here. But for a falling out with former coach Ian Rutledge, she could have assumed the responsibility sooner.
Now, at 24 years of age - she will be 25 at the end of the coming tour which takes in three internationals in Hong Kong and later the Oceania Olympic qualifiers on Australia's Sunshine Coast - she will have cause for double celebration, needing just three games to join the 100 club.
"But for injuries and other things that kept me out, I would probably have reached that a year and a half ago," said Igasan. "And even this year, I could have played my 100th at the Champions Challenge in Azerbaijan if I hadn't injured my finger."
Igasan brings an uncompromising attitude to the captaincy - one welcomed by coach Kevin Towns who had no hesitation handing it to her.
"We will still run with a leadership group involving Lizzy, Meredith Orr and Kayla Sharland but Lizzy takes the on-field role," said Towns. "I had to see where she was at but given her experience, knowledge, competitive nature and the way she uses her natural instincts to sum up the pace of a game, in the end I suppose it was a no-brainer."
Igasan, happy to accept added responsibility, said: "Nothing really changes except that it makes me a little more excited."
Like Towns, Igasan, who made her international debut in February 2001, accepts the national team has under-performed recently.
"We are aware of the pressure we are under. We have to perform in Australia. It is not just a case of turning up, beating Fiji and booking our place at the Olympics.
"I'm about getting some pride back into our game. A lot of us need to be a little more hard-nosed. The qualifiers should not be seen as a free ticket to Beijing. Rather we should be looking at them as the licence to perform well."
Unlike her teammates, Igasan hones her skills in the hotbed of men's competition playing for East Coast Bays in the North Harbour premier championship. There were advantages and disadvantages.
"I love playing with the men even if it means my mistakes get magnified. But I have to respect there is a difference in the men's and women's games and can't expect the women to do what I see with the men."
Of her call to step away from the international arena in the latter part of Rutledge's term, she has no regrets.
"I was not happy. It was not a good environment and was not good for me or the other girls. Things could have been dealt with better. You learn from these experiences even if horrible things have been said and done."
Igasan says she has a good relationship with Towns.
Black Sticks in Hong Kong
(world ranking 11)
* August 28: v Hong Kong (practice match).
* August 28: v Korea (ranked 8)
* August 29: v China (5)
* August 31: v India (13)
* September 11-16: Oceania Olympic qualifiers, Buderim, Australia.
