Hockey: Width of goal-scoring potential lifts medal hopes

New Zealand were assured a spot in the tournament showpiece but would have preferred a positive result in captain Dean Couzins' (pictured) 250th international match. Photo / Getty Images.

An improvement in the range of goal-scoring gives captain Dean Couzins hope that New Zealand can be a serious medal contender at the men's Olympic hockey tournament in London next month.

The Auckland defender, who has played 251 internationals, is off to his third Games. Although loath to make firm comparisons with the past, Couzins reckons this New Zealand side poses a greater attacking threat than the last two Olympic squads.

"In previous [Games] teams there have been two or three sources of goals," Couzins said yesterday.

"If you look at this team there's more goal-scoring ability across the pitch, combined with a good [set piece] corner. That's a real positive.

"We do have more potential sources. That doesn't guarantee goals, but does mean more strike power than in the past, which is great."

New Zealand were buoyed by winning the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia this month, and though the Olympic programme will be tougher, with games against world No2 Germany and No3 the Netherlands in their pool, seventh-ranked New Zealand are confident they can be in the frame at the sharp end of the pool play.

"Confidence and consistency are the two things for me," Couzins said.

"There's the confidence that if we put our game together and hit a certain level we're going to be in the contest in every match."

Couzins and fellow 30-plus men Phil Burrows (277 games), Ryan Archibald (265) and Blair Hopping (249), are the greybeards in a squad rich in experience. Stephen Jenness, with 50 caps, is the least experienced.

Couzins, Burrows, Hopping and goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex are heading for their third Games. Archibald would have, had he not missed Athens in 2004 because of injury. Nine others are going to their second.

"There's not a player going that doesn't have a strong belief there is an opportunity to medal," coach Shane McLeod said.

"But we also have to keep our feet on the ground," he added, recognising that while the recent success in Malaysia is a boon to the squad, the Olympic challenge is far sterner.

New Zealand's only Olympic medal for men's hockey, the gold at Montreal in 1976, is among the nation's most famous.

"There's reminders all the time, and it's something often talked about with hockey people but these guys are their own generation, making their own history, I believe," McLeod said.

"It's always nice to know it has been done before, and if it's done once then it can happen again."

Three players from the Azlan Shah success - Central's Ben Collier, Blair Tarrant from Southern and Matt L'Huillier from Capital - have missed out, while midfielder Steven Edwards and defender Blair Hopping are in.

Auckland's versatile Arun Panchia is one of two athletes who will be in London, staying away from the squad but on injury standby.

The team head to Cairns on Sunday for three tests against world No1 Australia before leaving for Europe on July 6 for warm-up games in Belgium against their hosts and the Netherlands.

THE SQUAD

Goalkeeper: Kyle Pontifex (Capital).
Defenders: Dean Couzins (c, Auckland), Andy Hayward, Blair Hopping, Richard Petherick (all Midlands), Brad Shaw, Nick Haig (Canterbury).
Midfielders: Steven Edwards (North Harbour), Ryan Archibald, Phil Burrows (Auckland), Shea McAleese (Central), Blair Hilton (Capital).
Strikers: Simon Child (Auckland), Stephen Jenness (Capital), Nick Wilson (Central), Hugo Inglis (Southern).
On standby: Hamish McGregor (goalkeeper, Southern), Arun Panchia (midfielder, Auckland).