The Vantage Black Sticks Men are set to begin their Oceania Cup campaign tonight at 8:30pm NZT against Australia in Darwin, with a few late changes to the squad bringing fresh energy and opportunity.
Unfortunately, Scott Boyde, Isaac Houlbrooke and Sean Findlay have been ruled out of the series due to injury. However, this opens the door for new talent to step up and make an impact. Patrick Ward, originally named as the travelling reserve, has been activated, while Jonty Elmes and Gus Nelson have flown over from New Zealand to join the team.
All three players have recently played a key role in the Black Sticks’ gold medal-winning Nations Cup campaign in Malaysia, and their inclusion adds depth, form, and fresh legs to the squad ahead of this three-match Trans-Tasman battle.
New Zealand
