Kiwis score a hit in World Cup hockey

New Delhi: New Zealand, the smallest nation by population at the Hero Honda World Cup are the overachievers of world hockey. Despite struggling for funding and geographically isolated from the rest of the globe, the Kiwis have never been easy pickings in any major event, generally tripping up some of the big teams hoping to go all the way.

Now though, under coach Shane McLeod, they have gone a step further. From being mere spoilers, they are emerging as contenders for the major titles. Their recent success in the world cup qualifier in Invercargill was quickly followed by victory in the Champions Challenge in Argentina, which will see them back in the elite Champions Trophy this year.

While they may not have quite the strength in depth of neighbours Australia, they have improved vastly as they showed in their defeat of World No 5 South Korea a couple of days ago.

In fact, it was New Zealand and not Australia who won Australasia's first ever Olympic gold in Montreal in 1976 — the first time any major hockey event was played on astro-turf. That of course remains New Zealand hockey's biggest achievement and has set the benchmark for all the teams that followed.

With a limited player base and funding totally dependent upon performance, hockey has generally struggled to make a big impact in a nation where rugby is religion. None of the players are true professionals though some, such as skipper Phil Burrows, star midfielder Ryan Archibald and young Simon Child, eke out a living by playing in the Dutch league for HC Rotterdam.

National squad

The nation's biggest city, Auckland and its suburb, North Harbour is where hockey is centred and most of the national squad make their base here.

Star drag-flicker Hayden Shaw, was unable to make it as he has just started a new career as a primary school teacher in Christchurch, while his younger brother Brad, who got married recently, also decided to give the Delhi trip a pass.

Despite their absence, along with that of Simon Child, who pulled out at the last minute due to security concerns much to his captain's disgust, the team has been looking good in New Delhi.

The team had a torrid warm-up tour to Australia, losing every match, but that seems to have toughened up the players for the real test.