Hockey: Black Sticks ready for big one

New Zealand women's hockey coach Mark Hager. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games carry popular status but New Zealand women's hockey coach Mark Hager has no doubt where the World Cup starting in Argentina tomorrow ranks in his team's mindset.

"It's the pinnacle event of the year for us. It's the major one for funding and for Olympic qualifying spots also," Hager said from the tournament venue in Rosario.

"For all teams it's the same. They come here as fit and ready as they can be and they tend to improve on the year's other performances."

Hager's young side have an outside chance of becoming the second from New Zealand to reach the semifinals since the first of 11 World Cups in 1974.

To repeat the feat of 1986 will require an advance on the encouraging form shown when fifth at the Champions Trophy in England in July, an event that was laced with value for both the Black Sticks - who boast seven players aged 21 or under - and their future opponents.

"We were out there at the Champions Trophy, we would have been scrutinised fairly quickly by opposition teams," Hager said.

"They know a lot more about us now than they did 12 months ago so the challenge is to make another step up.

"Hopefully we don't get overawed here. If we perform to our best, we can cause some upsets and make the top four."

Hager revealed that a minimum team goal was a top-eight finish, which they would achieve if placed at least fourth in their six-team pool.

He hopes his world No 7-ranked side can nail all their targets this year.

They achieved their top-five finish goal at the Champions Trophy and will chase a medal of any description at October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

"If we can achieve top eight with this group then we believe we're making a step forwards. The thing that would disappoint me would be if we haven't learned from the Champions Trophy and didn't make improvements here."

Additions to the squad from England are midfielders Anna Thorpe and Kayla Sharland, the latter an inspirational figure as captain.

Also important will be the recovery of key players Krystal Forgesson, Gemma Flynn and Emily Naylor, who picked up a virus soon after arriving in Rosario and took little part in their warmup matches.

Hager points to the importance of their opening pool match against the No 4-ranked Germany tomorrow morning (NZ time). Two days later they confront the world No 1 and defending champion the Netherlands, followed by Japan, Australia and India.

"It depends a lot on game one. If we win that, we can kick on from there," he said. "If we do lose it, we're fortunate that in our pool there are teams capable of beating each other.

"It will be a tight pool and we have to look after our own backyard."

Hager expects the Netherlands to be hard to topple, and hosts Argentina, who are fresh off a third successive Champions Trophy and are expected to attract sellout crowds.

- NZPA