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Black Sticks striker Sam Harrison - Source: Photosport -
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New Zealand women's coach Mark Hager is challenging his side to be more consistent ahead of the World Cup.
After finishing seventh at the Champions Trophy earlier this month, the Black Sticks are now in World Cup preparation mode.
Coach Hager named his 20-strong squad on Thursday, with two of those players to be omitted for the Commonwealth Games in October.
While the youthful side had no trouble scoring goals at the Champions Trophy, their defence at times severely let them down.
They allowed more than three goals per game with many of them conceded at crucial moments.
Hager said the tournament was a sharp learning curve for him as well as the players.
"We got found out in a lot of areas while we were away. It also exposed my tactics as a coach.
"We were patchy, we played very well for small periods and then all of a sudden crumbled. That's what you get with inexperienced players and what this group has got to learn is how to be consistent."
Hager said the biggest problem was defending set pieces as well as an over-eagerness to attack - which left the backfield exposed.
"It's mainly our set pieces - our defensive circle free hits weren't on the mark and we gave a lot of soft goals away.
"Also we're not quite trapping the ball dead in the circle and when we counter attack we leave ourselves exposed. We've got to find a balance between attack and defence."
The Black Sticks face a tough pool at the World Cup but also have high expectations.
New Zealand join Germany, Australia, Holland, Japan and India on one half of the draw at the 12-team tournament.
Hager is hopeful his side can take at least one point out of games against three of the world's top five sides in Germany, Australia and Holland.
Three wins in pool play would send the Black Sticks through to the semi-finals so defeating lesser nations Japan and India would be crucial.
"I believe we've got the talent to compete really well at the World Cup, it's just fine tuning some areas," Hager said.
"If we're consistent enough in our play we're capable of making the semi-finals."
Black Sticks women World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers - Beth Jurgeleit (Wellington), Bianca Russell
(North Harbour).
Defenders - Emily Naylor (Central), Clarissa Eshuis
(Midlands), Lucy Talbot (Auckland), Natasha Fitzsimons (North
Harbour).
Midfielders - Kayla Sharland (capt, Central), Stacey Carr
(Canterbury), Ella Gunson (Northland), Sam Harrison (Auckland),
Gemma Flynn (Midlands), Anna Thorpe (Northland), Stacey Michelsen
(North Harbour), Anita Punt (Wellington).
Strikers - Krystal Forgesson (Auckland), Katie Glynn
(Auckland), Piki Hamahona (Central), Charlotte Harrison
(Northland).
