New Zealand men have got their FIH Hockey Pro League season off to a mixed start. Two defeats at the hands of Belgium were followed by a draw and a loss to Great Britain and then a loss and a win to Spain.
For Sam Lane, the matches against Spain were particularly special as they took place in his home city of Canterbury, at the Nga Puna Wai Stadium. The midfielder, who has been part of the senior side for three years and has 17 goals to his name, is looking forward to the second set of matches in Canterbury, taking place in two weeks time – against reigning Olympic champions Argentina (28 February & 1 March).
What will you look to change/improve ahead of your next games?
Sam Lane: “Against Great Britain there was a lot of double turnovers. We would receive it from GB and then give it back, so possession of the ball is key. We just have to trust what we do. We have some world class players here so we just have to do out own roles and really let it be.’
How important is home advantage in the FIH Hockey Pro League?
Sam Lane: “I think it is huge for hockey in Canterbury. This is the only opportunity – to play at home for me and a few of the other boys. It is huge for this community. They are loud and they are very passionate about the game. I’m really looking forward to it and we are going to get a really good turn out for it, so that is exciting for a lot of us.”
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