NETHERLANDS A TOUGH TEST N.Z. hockey XI has key match today

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33455, 9 February 1974, Page 46

NETHERLANDS A TOUGH TEST N.Z. hockey XI has key match today

New Zealand's success in the international hockey tournament in Christchurch over the next eight days will depend a lot on the result of its first match today—against the World Cup holders, the Netherlands.

The tournament will] start with an opening) ceremony at Queen Elizabeth II Park at 1.151 p.m. today, followed by three games on the main ground. The home side's task may not be as difficult as it appears. Admittedly, the; Dutch team has come from! its winter season and has had! a three-week tour of Australia, but the team is vastly' different to that which won; the World Cup in Amsterdam 1 in August. Only 10 of that ■ successful squad remain, and! this tournament will be the; first for the six new caps.! New Zealand is playing out! of season, but its members! have been training since the I squad was announced three! months ago, so fitness, or lack of it. should not cause! problems. Mai Mer lit The New Zealand Olympic player, Barry Maister, passed a fitness test yesterday and, has been included in the| group of 1.3 from which the j New Zealand team will be' chosen. Maister. a key player in’ the New Zealand line-up injured an ankle last week, but ran freely at Ham yesterday. it is possible that all 13 players named by New Zea-

jland will be used in the match, under the provisions of the substitution rule. The choice of the initial 11 will be made this morning. The squad is:— T. Manning. P. Ackerley, A. Ineson, G. Dayman, A. Mclntyre, S. Maister (captain), A. Chesney, A. Borren, A. Parkin, J. Christensen, B. Maister, R. Patel, J. ' Archibald. The Dutch coach (Mr C. J. Tania) said his team was Taking the games seriously, :but it also wanted to give 'the younger members of the

; team a taste of tournament 5 play. : “New Zealand is always a J difficult side to play because they are likely to do the unexpected. We have a lot of respect for them and they will provide us with a tough first game. “We are re-building our team, and this tournament is a wonderful opportunity for them to gain experience. When we go back to Holland we will have to play • the European Cup.” Contrast in style ?; Like the Netherlands, New Zealand has a young side, but only three have not had experience at World Cup or Olympic level. Yesterday New Zealand looked sharp at practice compared with the Dutch. It had much better control and did ■ not rely on speed and hard j hitting. But the two teams’ | styles are completely differ- | ent, and tomorrow New ZeaI landers will have their first | chance to see the contro- | versial European style. * against the orthodox Asian I style. ■ The matches today are. ; ; Australia and Poland ar 2i p.m., the Netherlands and. | New Zealand at 3.30 n.m., | and Pakistan and Canada at f 5 p.m. On Sunday. Canada plays I Poland at 2 p.m., Australia! plays Pakistan, at 3.30 p.m.,; and New Zealand plays Mal-i _ aysia at 5 p.m.—all on Queen, ' Elizabeth II Park. i