Hockey: Kiwi women help Australia

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Feelings of deja vu could haunt the New Zealand women's hockey team over the next couple of months.

Today they will have a dress-rehearsal of their opening day at the Olympics when they meet Germany in Sydney.

Playing at the Olympic venue in Homebush, the Kiwis start the international tri-series against the Germans.

Yesterday the teams met in a friendly warm-up match, drawing 2-2 - the same score as at their last meeting at the Champions Trophy in Holland two months ago.

New Zealand will play the Germans and Olympic champions Australia twice in the next 10 days.

While the tournament will help the Kiwis in their build-up, they were invited primarily to help the Australians to choose their best team for the Olympics.

The world champions have a squad of 28 for this tournament.

They will single out 16 A-team players for every match.

At the end of the series, the top two teams will play in the final, and the third will play the Australia B selection.

New Zealand captain Anna Lawrence is not too concerned about helping out the outstanding Aussies.

"We're thinking of ourselves. We're using the opportunity to keep getting better, so when we get to the Olympics we're not mediocre about anything," she said.

The New Zealanders have been in camp in Wellington for the last fortnight - all the Olympians moving to the capital, working during the day and training in the early morning and after work.

"It's been a big sacrifice, but we all decided to make it," Lawrence said. "We're really getting to know each other now, which is great for the team culture."

Former captain Kate Trolove will play her 150th test today - becoming only the second New Zealand woman to do so after Robbie Matthews, who was dropped from the Olympic side.