Hockey India has confirmed that it will play a six-test series from December 8 to 15, 2012 against Black Sticks Women, with tests to be held in Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North and Wellington.
This would be the first outing for Black Sticks since the London Olympics, offering a great chance for hockey fans to see their Olympic heroes in action.
“We have had a number of tests in the wider Auckland region in the last year, and on the back of the Olympics, we wanted to give other cities the opportunity to host some games,” Hockey New Zealand Chief Executive Hilary Poole said.
Hawke’s Bay Hockey General Manager Don Clark said that it would be amazing to watch Black Sticks play in their own backyard, especially considering the sponsorship the region has given both teams in their build-up to the Olympics.
“There is a strong hockey community here. We have had 10% increase in our winter registration numbers and our summer player numbers have also grown substantially,” he said.
The series will have a familiar feel for both teams, as the last time India came to New Zealand was in 2010 and the games were hosted at the same venues.
The Black Sticks team will be announced following a selection camp, held from November 14 to 18, 2012.
The current wider squad of 35 will be split into a national squad comprising 25 players and a development squad of 10 players.
The Kiwis will head to Hawke’s Bay for a week to train before their first test on December 8, against India Hockey, ranked 12th in the world.
Head coach Mark Hager said there could be a few new caps take to the turf.
“With four senior players having an extended break, it is a good chance to expose players to international competition,” he said.
Information about the test series will be posted on www.hockeynz.co.nz and www.facebook.com/nzblacksticks. There will be gate sales at each venue.
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Schedule of Matches Test 1: Saturday 8 December, 3 pm, Napier |
