N.Z. hockey team’s dress rehearsal

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 18

N.Z. hockey team’s dress rehearsal

The New Zealand hockey team had a mixed dress rehearsal last week-end for its two tests against Japan in Wellington next month. The national team struggled to a 2-1 win against Wellington, but then played some excellent hockey to beat the New Zealand junior team, 70.

The junior team will also play two games against Japan. Barry Maister, the juniors coach, said his side made some basic errors and were a bit overawed, but he was loathe to be too critical of the team.

“We were mainly concerned with their attitude and they showed a refreshing attitude over the weekend. They were willing to learn and listen.”

Against Wellington, the New Zealand team did not play like an international side, said Mr Blake. The next day against the juniors their conference improved. “They realised they could mak# progress and beat the defer/ce if they passed the

ball. I was pleased with the way they played, because they had had a hard weekend. They had a training session on Friday night, another hour before breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, another two hours later in the morning, and games each afternoon. They certainly knew they had had a week-end of hockey.”

Mr Blake said he was pleased with the way the team-work was developing among the forwards but felt the defence gave away too many penalty corners—five—against Wellington. “Under the new rules, with only five defenders, that could be expensive against overseas teams." Mr Blake conceded that Japan will be more difficult than the juniors or Wellington. They mark very tightly and New Zealand will need tight control and accurate passing to break their defence. Mr Maister was without three of the key forwards in

the junior team. Mark Kake was injured and John Radovonich and Jim Smith were in the national team.

“But rather than play negative hockey because we were without those players, I wanted to see what they could do on attack so we played a fairly open game.” “There were a number of things which highlighted the inexperience of the side. For instance, the seniors scored a goal from a penalty corner while the juniors were still walking to the back-line.”

Mr Maister hopes the juniors will perform better in their two matches with the Japanese. “We do have some problems. We have no obvious inside right, but when we get our five best forwards together against Japan we should perform better.” The juniors will play Japan on August 7 and 8 and the seniors on August 10 and 11. KEVIN TUTTY