HOCKEY - Harrison, Muirhead to do battle in Rome

Charlotte Harrison and Suzy Muirhead will bookend Northland's contribution to the Black Sticks New Zealand women's hockey team heading to the World Cup qualifying tournament in Rome this month.
The duo, Harrison a striker who is rapidly becoming one of the most recognisable faces in the Black Sticks, and Muirhead, the inspirational captain with 231 international caps to her name, were named in the team yesterday.
But they will head to Rome without another of Northland's hockey playing prodigies, Lizzie Igasan, who withdrew from the tournament. Igasan cited personal reasons for her withdrawal.
But for Harrison and Muirhead the tournament has taken on even more significance as along with Igasan's voluntary stand down they have also lost long serving defender Michelle Hollands, who announced her retirement from all international hockey.
That forced coach Ian Rutledge to add four players to the squad who finished fourth at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. All four have international experience.
Midfielder Tara Drysdale has played 80 internationals; Auckland striker Lizzie Ryan, who has 13 caps, is back after being part of the team who won the Champions Challenge in the United States last year; and Cantabrians Kate Saunders and Bridget Kight, who have 11 and four aps respectively, win recalls.
The top five teams qualify for the World Cup in Madrid in September. Purely on rankings, New Zealand should bolt in. They are sixth in the world and grouped with Korea (No.7), United States (12), Ireland (13), Azerbaijan (19) and Italy (20). They have avoided the tougher pool A, which comprises three teams in the top 10 - China (5), Japan (8) and England (9) - along with Ukraine (15), Scotland (17) and France (21).
Rutledge said the tournament in Rome would give his team an ideal outlet to wash away memories of their disappointing fourth place finish at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
"This provides an opportunity for us to move on. There's nothing worse than waiting round for a long period of time to get out there and put those things past you."
New Zealand have three lead-up games in their 10 days in Rome, against England, Scotland and China. Their opening pool game is against Azerbaijan on April 25.
Black Sticks._ Goalkeepers: Beth Jurgeleit (Wellington), Anita Wawatai (Central). Defenders: Di Weavers (Midlands), Emily Naylor (Central), Bridget Kight (Canterbury), Kate Mahon (North Harbour), Clarissa Eshuis (Canterbury). Midfielders: Suzie Muirhead (capt, Wellington), Tara Drysdale (Central), Stacey Carr (Canterbury), Frances Kreft (Auckland), Jane Maley (Canterbury). Strikers: Honor Dillon (Canterbury), Lizzie Ryan (Auckland, pictured), Charlotte Harrison (Northland), Kayla Sharland (Central), Krystal Forgesson (Auckland). Utility: Kate Saunders (Canterbury).