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.