Under-21 New Zealand men’s squad announced against Junior Malaysian team: Hockey Update
From among the 60 players, the Junior Team’s coach, Grant Edwards, has shortlisted the 18-member Under-21 Black Sticks squad today, May 26, which will be playing a four-Test series against the Malaysian junior counterparts at the Alexander McMillan Park
in Dunedin, next week.
The series will be a step-up for the squad under the development programme to gain the required skills and tactics that will allow them a chance into the national squad of the Black Sticks.
One of these players is the 19-year-old Abir Mukherjee, who previously played for the team in the National Under-21 Tournament that was also held in Dunedin, in May 2011. On being selected, he was astonished and aspires to give his best in this upcoming
international appearances.
The young athlete said, “I’ve represented Tauranga in the Under 18’s and I’m currently playing in Hamilton, but this is the first national side that I have been part of so I’m just stoked to have been invited and keen to learn as much as possible.”
According to the coach, Mukherjee got selected because of his explicit expertise and strategy as a striker. He is fast, active in the field and is very good at deflecting ball, allowing far more attacking opportunities for the team, during a game.
Some more players that were announced included those, were not part of the Malaysian Invitational, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. These include James Coughlan, Nick Ross, Kane Russell and Dwayne Rowsell.
On the other hand, those who played the Azlan Shah Cup are being allowed some relief in order to be ready for the forthcoming Europe Test series and as well as the Four-nation tournament in London, starting from July 12-16.
Hockey New Zealand’s High Performance Manager, Toni Cumpston, added, “We have not had a Junior Black Sticks team play an international home test series in over a decade, so it is very exciting for these young players to be given that opportunity.”
The match schedule of the four-test series consists of matches between the two teams on June 3, 4, 6 and 7. This series has been organised by the Otago Hockey Association (OHA).
In addition to the above, June 5 will also feature three coaching clinics at the same venue, which include a session by the Junior Black Sticks with the Otago Under-15 team in the morning that will be followed by a session by the coaches Shane McLeod and
Darren Smith, who will run a session with the Senior Southern representatives. Then both will again have a session with Junior Southern representatives.
Apart from the above stated names, the other thirteen players that have been named for the series are Callum Bailey, Cory Bennett, Rob Creffier, George Enersen, Cam Hayde, Jared Jones, Dane Lett, Ryan Cosgrove, Tom Lysaght, Thomas Loudon, Alexander Shaw,
Jacob Smith and Isaac Staples.
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