Hockey: Preparation at top level for Olympians

By DAVID LEGGAT

Plans to give New Zealand's two Olympic-bound hockey teams a solid lead-in to Athens are well advanced.

Details are still to be finalised but the teams could have about 10 internationals between now and the start of the games in Athens on August 13.

The women, who ensured New Zealand would have both teams at the Games by finishing third in their qualifying tournament, which ended in Auckland yesterday, meet India in a four-game series - likely to be played in Dunedin, Oamaru and two in Christchurch - in May.

They then go to Australia for tournaments in Darwin from June 16 to 20 and Townsville from June 23 to 27, playing against world No 2 Australia, No 4 China and No 11 Japan, who won the qualifying tournament final yesterday.

On their way to Athens, they will make a European stopover, most likely in Germany or perhaps the Netherlands. Details of opponents are still to be worked out.

The Black Sticks have a fortnight off before facing the Indians, who are not going to Athens, and another break before going to Australia.

But it won't be a time for putting the feet up.

"They'll only be a few blocks of freedom for the girls, and they'll be training blocks anyway," coach Ian Rutledge said.

He and national men's coach Kevin Towns face one of the more unpleasant aspects of the job - settling on 16 players for the Games.

In Rutledge's case, 18 were in the qualifying tournament squad and eight others remain in the frame.

"It's going to be pretty tough. All 18 here are in contention and they've done nothing wrong to be excluded."

The men hope to have world No 6 India - who are in their Athens pool - playing two games in each of Taupo and Hamilton in May, replacing the Malaysian team, who have pulled out of the trip.

They will go to Darwin for a series against Australia in June before heading for Europe.

The accepted wisdom is that teams do not play opponents in their Olympic pool close to the Games.

But New Zealand Hockey chief executive Ramesh Patel reckoned it was a case of judging each opportunity on its merits.

"It would be quite nice to take on the Germans or the Dutch," he said. "In the past, it was a case of taking what you could get.

"These days New Zealand have got good respect internationally, so we can pick and choose a bit."

Great Britain, not in New Zealand's pool and world No 8, three spots above New Zealand, are another option during the European programme.

"There are teams who want to play us," Patel said, "so I don't think getting games lined up will be a major problem."

Olympic pools

Men

Pool A: Germany (world No 1), Korea (4), Pakistan (5), Great Britain (8), Spain (9), Egypt (16).

Pool B: Netherlands (2), Australia (3), India (6), Argentina (7), New Zealand (11), South Africa (13).

Women (provisional)

Pool A: Argentina (1), China (4), Spain (6), New Zealand (9), Japan (11).

Pool B: Australia (2), Netherlands (3), Germany (7), Korea (8), South Africa (13).