Hugo Inglis in action for the Black Sticks. Photo / George Novak
The Black Sticks will host Olympic silver medallists Belgium, India and Japan in a men's hockey quad series in Hamilton and Tauranga early next year.
The third-ranked Belgians will be joined by world No.6 India, No.16 Japan and eighth-ranked New Zealand in the four-nation tournament.
The tournament will be split
across two separate five-day series, the first at Blake Park in Tauranga from January 17-21 and the second at Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton from January 24-28.
The Kiwis will be looking to start 2018 off with a bang as they begin their build-up for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April.
New Zealand last played Belgium and Japan at the Hockey World League Semi Finals in Johannesburg where they recorded a 2-0 defeat and 3-1 victory respectively.
