KEY POINTS:
The failure of the New Zealand men's team to seal the deal in the Champions Challenge final earlier this month appears to have been forgiven with all but two of the players taking part in that tournament named for the coming five-test series with Japan.
Coach Shane McLeod
yesterday named the 18 players he will take to Japan next month for matches aimed at fine-tuning the team for the Oceania Olympic qualifiers in September.
He has recalled Jan Petersen and James Nation and left out youngsters Nick Haig and Andy Hayward. Petersen returns after missing the Champions Challenge because of work commitments while Nation comes back after withdrawing due to injury and being replaced by Hayward.
In the final against Argentina, NZ led 2-0 with minutes to play but conceded two late goals and then lost 3-2 when the Argentines scored a golden goal in sudden death extra time.
"These games in Japan are important in our build-up to the Oceania matches against Australia and Papua New Guinea," said McLeod. "It is good to have Jan back and into the programme. He is vital in the way he complements the other forwards."
While captain Ryan Archibald has been included, he will not play in all the matches.
"He has been getting treatment for his ankle injury and should be okay to play in Japan," said McLeod. "But he won't play all games. Phil Burrows will captain the team in his absence."
The players will return from Japan to continue their build-up to the Oceania qualifiers.
With PNG now set to play in the tournament, the Black Sticks will have round-robin games against them and Australia with the top two teams meeting in a winner-take-all spot in next year's Olympics.
Should NZ fail to clinch their Olympic spot at that tournament, they have a second chance next February at a six-nation tournament at North Harbour from which the winner will qualify for Beijing.
NZ squad
Ryan Archibald, Simon Child, Dean Couzins, Bevan Hari, Paul Woolford (Auckland), Bradley Shaw, Hayden Shaw (Canterbury), Casey Henwood, Lloyd Stephenson (Midlands), Ben Collier, Bryce Collins, Steven Edwards, Blair Hopping, David Kosoof, Jan Petersen (North Harbour), Phil Burrows, James Nation, Kyle Pontifex (Wellington).