Rugged hockey tourney ahead

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 32

Rugged hockey tourney ahead

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Three days before it leaves New Zealand, the national men’s hockey team has received its draw for the Inter-Continental Cup in Barcelona next month. The tournament will be a rugged one. New Zealand is drawn against several teams known for their robust play, and it must play its five pool games over six days. Its first match is against a relative unknown, Zimbabwe, on October 14.

The women’s team from that youthful country won the gold medal at the Moscow Olympics, which were badly affected by a western bloc boycott. The Zimbabwe men have never achieved anything like that success. The next day New Zealand plays Argentina. The last time the two teams met was at the World Cup in Bombay in 1981, and Argentina had a surprise 5-3 victory. New Zealand’s third consecutive match is against South Korea on October 13.

After a day’s rest, New Zealand will face a European team yet to be decided, but probably Belgium, and its last game is against Poland.

The latter three teams in particular are sure to be highly defensive, and New Zealand will need to use all its skills and fitness to overcome the stacked defences it will encounter.

With such a demanding programme fitness will be paramount and the New Zealand team should be well prepared in that regard.

In the last month the players have had a weeklong national tournament and two internationals against Japan.

The team has a further six internationals on a preparation tour in Europe and England before the InterContinental Cup starts. New Zealand has to finish in the first five at Barcelona to qualify for the World Cup in London in October 1986. The semi finals of the Inter-Continental Cup will be played on October 18 and the final on October 20.