13 Jun 2012

Experienced men's hockey side selected for Olympics

11:22 am on 13 June 2012

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has named its most experienced men's hockey side in history to take to next month's Olympics in London.

The 16-man team opens its Olympic campaign against South Korea on July 30 and includes three players with more than 250 caps.

Dean Couzins, Phil Burrows, Blair Hopping and Kyle Pontifex will all be attending their third Olympics.

The team's coach Shane McLeod says after winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia earlier this month, it made for several selection headaches and it's hard on those who missed out.

The women's squad will be named on Friday.

The mens' first game is against South Korea on July 30.

Mens' Olympic Hockey Squad: Kyle Pontifex, Nick Haig, Andy Hayward, Simon Child, Blair Hopping, Dean Couzins (C), Blair Hilton, Ryan Archibald, Brad Shaw, Phil Burrows, Shea McAleese, Stephen Jenness, Richard Petherick, Hugo Inglis, Steven Edwards, Nick Wilson. Travelling reserves: Hamish McGregor, Arun Panchia.