U21 Future Black Sticks Women’s & Men’s Teams Announced
Head coaches Verity Sharland (U21 Women’s Coach) & Mike Delaney (U21 Men’s Coach) have named their teams ahead of upcoming trips to Japan (Women) and Malaysia for the Sultan of Johor Cup (Men).
U21 Women’s Team
The U21 Women’s team is set to head away on an exciting trip to Japan, assembling and departing from Auckland on October 14th and returning on October 26th. During their Japan tour, the team will play three matches against the Canadian Senior A Team, offering a unique opportunity for valuable international experience.
Head Coach Verity Sharland expressed excitement about entering the development phase for the Junior World Cup 2025. "The team includes several players who competed in the 2023 Junior World Cup in Chile, bringing valuable experience. The selected players excelled at the National Hockey Championship, and we look forward to their growth from this international experience," she said.
Women’s Team:
Charlie Wills - North Harbour
Katherine Winter - Wellington
Ruby Worrall - North Harbour
Lucy Russ - Auckland
Jaimee Eades - Canterbury
Issy Story - Canterbury
Annabelle Schneideman - Otago
Ruby Roberts - Canterbury
Jayda Pawhau - Auckland
Georgie Shotter - North Harbour
Holly Hilton-Jones - Auckland
Hannah Findlay - Hawkes Bay
Emma Irwin - Canterbury
Kaea Elliott - Auckland
Mezzy Surridge - Canterbury
Hannah Donald - Manawatu
Greer Findlay - Hawkes Bay
Ella Leighton - Waikato
Kate Fraser - Wellington
Cara Morrison - Canterbury
U21 Men’s Team
The U21 Men’s team has been named ahead of the Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The team will depart on October 13th, with matches resuming on October 19th. The participating teams include India, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Great Britain, and Japan. Their first match will be against the host team, Malaysia.
The SOJC will provide the U21 Men’s team with invaluable experience as they compete against some of the best U21 teams globally.
Head Coach, Mike Delaney says, “We are incredibly excited to have a dynamic blend of youthful energy and seasoned experience within our squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup. The calibre of our opposition will undoubtedly test our players, pushing both individuals and the team to new heights. Personally, I can’t wait to see how this group rises to the challenge. I’m confident we’ll deliver an exciting brand of fast, attacking hockey that showcases our potential and ambition.”
Men’s Team:
Aiden Bax - Tauranga
Benji Culhane - Otago
Bradley Rothwell - Waikato
Daniel Torr - Otago
Dean Clarkson - Canterbury
Gus Nelson - Canterbury
Hayden Ganley - Northland
Javahn Jones - Canterbury
Jonty Elmes - Hawkes Bay
Jordan Whittleston - Canterbury
Luka Clark - Northland
Matthew Ruetsch - Waikato
Matthew Wilson - Wellington
Owen Brown - Canterbury
Ryan Parr - North Harbour
Sam Lints - Canterbury
Scott Cosslett - North Harbour
Timothy Crawford - Wellington
These trips are a critical step in their preparation for the Junior World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Auckland from January 30th to February 2nd.
The official FIH Men’s Junior World Cup is scheduled to take place in India in December 2025, while details for the FIH Women’s Junior World Cup are forthcoming.
Hockey New Zealand is confident that these tours will provide our U21 Future Black Sticks with the experience and preparation needed for success in the upcoming Junior World Cup Qualifiers and Junior World Cup later next year.