Hockey: New Zealanders in line for qualifier

The New Zealand's men's hockey team are back in familiar territory.

In coming up short against Australia in Saturday's Oceania Cup final - beaten 3-1 in Invercargill - Shane McLeod and his players are off to the Last-Chance Saloon - a six-team qualifying tournament with only the winner going to the World Cup.

That November 7-15 tournament, again in Invercargill, will mirror the Olympic qualifier the team won at North Harbour early last year to claim a place in Beijing.

On paper, New Zealand will go in as favourites, likely to be up against teams ranked lower on the FIH list.

New Zealand, ranked eighth, will likely face China (ranked 13th), Malaysia (16), Poland (20), Scotland (23) and Italy (26).

But McLeod will be looking for something better than his team showed against Australia.

An early Nick Wilson goal gave the home team the start they wanted. But Grant Schubert equalised from a penalty corner which the New Zealand defence failed to clear after goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex had made the initial save.

After the halftime hooter had sounded, Schubert claimed his second with a penalty corner variation and at the same time in the second spell Jamie Dwyer also cashed in a penalty corner to complete the scoring.

In forcing eight or nine penalty corners - and scoring from three - to New Zealand's one, the visitors were firmly in control.

Only late in the game, when the Australians were happy to sit back and defend their one-goal advantage, did they look vulnerable. But when the Black Sticks did force their only penalty corner of the match, Hayden Shaw dragged his attempt wide.

"It was good we have been here and had time on the turf," said McLeod. "It is not an easy surface to play on."

He was prepared to put some of the blame on the uncertain bounce for some of the sloppiness in his team's play, especially at the back where Blair Hopping had an uncharacteristically hesitant game.

The players now turn their attention to next month's National Hockey League, although team members Ryan Archibald, Phil Burrows, Dean Couzins, Ben Collier and Shea McAleese will be missing as they prepare for another season in Europe.

"There is a bit more pressure on players in the NHL than usual," said McLeod.

"We will reselect a national squad of 24 and a back-up train-on squad of 11 after the NHL. They will prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in November and the Champions Challenge in Argentina in December.

"Before that we will be looking for either a series at home or a short tour to prepare.

"I would certainly be interested in playing Australia."

Discussions between both Black Sticks camps, new Hockey New Zealand chief executive Hillary Poole and funding agency Sparc will determine just what the top players can look forward to.