Hockey: Black Sticks not expecting 'easy games'

ON TRACK: Emily Naylor (pictured) says the Black Sticks women's team is ready for their hit out against Korea on Saturday.PHOTO/FILE

The Black Sticks women are gearing up to take on five nations at the Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey starting Saturday.

Hawke's Bay-based Black Stick Emily Naylor said the team was ready for New Zealand's first game against Korea on Saturday. The game was part of the festival's Six Nation competition.

The Black Sticks played warm-up tests against Korea in Auckland to prepare for the festival.

"It was good to play them [Korea] in a warm-up, so we know what to expect."

Ms Naylor said the game to watch in the festival would be the Black Sticks vs Argentina next Tuesday.

"Argentina is number two in the world at the moment. They play with a lot of flair and it's going to be a tough one."

Australia was also a strong team, Ms Naylor said.

"There will be no easy games." The Black Sticks will play Australia on Saturday April 12.

"We're really excited. The festival is a good build-up to the World Cup and it's great that the Bay is hosting it."

It's full steam ahead for the inaugural festival despite a delayed arrival of the Korean team yesterday because of fog at Auckland airport. Fog disrupted domestic flights in and out of Auckland airport yesterday morning.

Teams from Australia, Argentina, China and Japan will also arrive in the Bay this week.

The festival will see 65 games of hockey played during nine days beginning on Saturday April 5.

Hockey games will be played at the new world-class facility at the Regional Sports Park in Hastings and at the Park Island turfs in Napier, creating a truly Bay-oriented hockey festival.