Hockey: Surprise pick for Black Sticks squad

Leo Mitai-Wells playing for Midlands in the National Hockey League. Photo / Ned Dawson

Uncapped Midlands striker Leo Mitai-Wells is the surprise pick in the New Zealand men's hockey team for the vital Oceania Cup series starting in Stratford on October 21.

Mitai-Wells is the only new face in the squad of 18, who must beat world No 1 Australia if they are to advance to the Rio Olympics.

"Leo is a physically strong and very hard working player who will give us a point of difference in the attacking half," coach Colin Batch said today.

The squad will be led by world class striker Simon Child. Among those
missing from the enlarged squad who lost a four-game series against India 2-1 this month are Auckland attackers Marcus Child and Jared Panchia, who has been troubled by a hamstring injury.

The other teams in the cup are Fiji and Samoa, but they are essentially making up the numbers in terms of winning the cup.

Batch knows the stakes could not be higher but believes his team are ready for the challenge.

"We're not fearing the importance of this event. We need to embrace it and aim to achieve our best performance of the year. We are confident we have what it takes as a group to pull this off," he said.

New Zealand men's squad for the Oceania Cup:

Simon Child (c), Ryan Archibald, Devon Manchester, Arun Panchia (Auckland), James Coughlan, Steve Edwards, George Muir (North Harbour), Nick Haig, Brad Shaw (Canterbury), Hugo Inglis, Nick Ross, Kane Russell, Blair Tarrant (Southern), Stephen Jenness, Kyle Pontifex (Capital), Leo Mitai-Wells, Nic Woods (Midlands), Nick Wilson (Central).