Junior Black Sticks Men’s head coach Grant Edwards has named a strong team to compete at the Hero Junior World Cup in India at the end of the year.
The Junior Men’s World Cup takes place from 6-15 December in New Delhi, with the Junior Black Sticks set to take on the world’s best Under 21 sides.
Following a recent training camp, the wider squad of 30 has been narrowed down to 18 along with four non-travelling reserves for the Junior World Cup.
Head coach Grant Edwards has included a diverse range of talent in his team, including three National Squad members (Kane Russell, George Muir and Jared Panchia) along with other exciting young up and coming players.
“It’s a very strong and well balanced team. We have a good mix of international experience with some exciting newcomers,” Edwards said.
“Our biggest strength is certainly our conditioning – the guys are extremely fit and the physical aspect is a big part of our game. We have good strength in our defensive organisation as well as talented forwards.”
Already with 18 caps for the Black Sticks, 19-year-old Jared Panchia is looking forward to a shot at the Junior World Cup title but knows it will be tough.
Panchia is in good form and recently played for the championship winning Auckland side in the Ford National Hockey League.
“We have a really strong team and most of us have already played together which is a big positive. The fact that we know our teammates so well gives us an advantage and we’re very competitive as a team,” he said.
“Through training and playing NHL and also with the Black Sticks I’ve learnt so much and my game has really developed and that will help a great deal going into this campaign.”
The Junior Black Sticks will head on a warm-up trip to Australia before departing for the Junior World Cup in India which starts on December 6th.
The Junior Black Sticks are part of the Sir Owen G Glenn Future Black Sticks Programme which offers international competition, training camps and quality coaching experience to the next generation of Black Sticks.
JUNIOR BLACK STICKS MEN’S JUNIOR WORLD CUP TEAM
INDIA, DECEMBER 6-15
NAME | REGION | POSITION |
Robert CREFFIER | Auckland | Midfielder |
Nick ELDER | Southern | Defender |
Angus HAZLETT | Canterbury | Defender |
Richard JOYCE | North Harbour | Goalkeeper |
Kim KINGSTONE | Auckland | Forward |
Sanjay LALA | North Harbour | Defender |
Oliver MacINTYRE | Southern | Defender |
Harry MISKIMMIN | Capital | Forward |
Jeremy MORRIS | Southern | Forward |
George MUIR | North Harbour | Midfielder |
Jared PANCHIA | Auckland | Forward |
Ben RADONOVICH | Auckland | Midfielder |
Matt REES-GIBBS | Midlands | Midfielder |
Michael RITCHIE | Auckland | Forward |
Kane RUSSELL | Southern | Defender |
Ben SMITH | Canterbury | Goalkeeper |
Benedict VAN WOERKOM | Capital | Forward |
Nicholas WOODS | Midlands | Defender |
NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
NAME | REGION | POSITION |
Brennan ALEXANDER-PARKER | North Harbour | Forward |
Sam GREANEY | Central | Goalkeeper |
Chad WHITEHEAD | Midlands | Defender |
Zac WOODS | Midlands | Midfielder |
