KEY POINTS:
Young striker Nick Wilson has been handed a late chance to press his claims for a spot in the New Zealand Olympic team.
He is among the 18 players yesterday named for next month's Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.
Wilson, 17, who has left Palmerston North Boys'
High to play his club hockey with Takapuna in the North Harbour competition, has won his place ahead of 200-international veteran forward Bevan Hari.
In the only other change from the team who won New Zealand's place in the Olympic tournament, Shea McAleese, ruled out at the last minute with a recurring shoulder injury, returns at the expense of Lloyd Stephenson.
While coach Shane McLeod is looking for a good showing from his team in the six-nation tournament in Ipoh, he is keen to use the time in the testing conditions as a major part of his Olympic preparation.
"The conditions ... will very much replicate what we are expecting in Beijing apart from the pollution which we can do without anyway," said McLeod. "We will use our time there as a huge training period and probably overtrain."
On the team's return on May 20, McLeod will have only a few days to name his 18-strong squad for the scheduled June tour to Europe.
"It is almost certain the 16 players we will take to the Olympics will be included in the squad for Europe," he said. "For that reason a player like Bryce Collins would need to show us he is fully fit and ready to go [to Europe] to be seriously considered for the Olympics."
Wilson has his chance to force his way into Olympic contention on the back of only two outings for the national side. He played in the win over Korea in Christchurch this year and in the 3-3 draw with Australia in Sydney last year.
Asked whether Hari's non-selection spelled the end of his international career, McLeod said "it is too early to say at this stage". Lloyd Stephenson "was a bit unlucky".
It appears the only players outside the squad named for Malaysia who are still in the selector's thinking are Hari, Collins, Stephenson and Richard Petherick. McLeod insists all will be considered for Europe.
THE TOURNAMENT
* May 8-18
* Ipoh, Malaysia
* Competing nations (with world rankings in brackets): Pakistan (6), India (9), New Zealand (10), Belgium (12), Malaysia (14), Canada (15).
NEW ZEALAND
Ben Collier, Steve Edwards, Blair Hopping, David Kosoof (North Harbour), Ryan Archibald (c), Gareth Brooks, Simon Child, Dean Couzins, James Nation, Paul Woolford (Auckland), Casey Henwood (Midlands), Nick Wilson, Shea McAleese (Central), Phil Burrows (Wellington), Kyle Pontifex (Wellington), Andy Hayward, Bradley Shaw, Hayden Shaw (Canterbury).