Hockey Nelson

14/06/2026

FINAL QUARTER BRILLIANCE FROM THE VANTAGE BLACK STICKS MEN

The Vantage Black Sticks Men have made it two wins from two matches at the 2026 FIH Nations Cup in Cape Town, defeating Korea 6–2 in a match that exploded into life in the second half.

Both sides created chances early, but strong defensive structures and disciplined goalkeeping kept the game tight. Korea struck first through a penalty corner, flicking the ball past goalkeeper Dom Dixon to take a 0–1 lead into halftime.

The Vantage Black Sticks stormed out of halftime, with Kane Russell equalising within the opening minute of the third quarter, instantly swinging momentum back New Zealand's way.

Minutes later, Scott Boyde put the Vantage Black Sticks in front. Dylan Thomas unleashed a powerful shot that was saved by the Korean goalkeeper, but Boyde was perfectly positioned to pounce on the rebound and slam home his first goal of the tournament, giving the Vantage Black Sticks a 2–1 lead.

Korea refused to go away and struck late in the quarter, converting another penalty corner with just 15 seconds remaining to level the scores at 2–2 heading into the final break.

With the match in the balance, the Vantage Black Sticks produced a stunning final quarter.

Dylan Thomas started the scoring spree with a well-worked field goal before Kane Russell added his second penalty corner goal of the evening to stretch the lead to 4–2.

Then came a moment to remember for Benji Culhane. The youngster scored his first international goal after joining a rapid counterattack, timing his run perfectly before diving onto a pass inside the circle and sweeping the ball past the Korean goalkeeper. It was a brilliant finish and a special milestone in his international career.

With just 35 seconds remaining, Dylan Thomas grabbed his second goal of the game, putting the finishing touch on a dominant performance and sealing a 6–2 victory.

The result sees the Vantage Black Sticks move to six points from their opening two matches, sitting just behind Japan, who lead the pool with seven points from three games.

It's been an impressive start to the Nations Cup campaign, with the Vantage Black Sticks showing both resilience and attacking firepower as they chase a third consecutive Nations Cup title.

Attention now turns to Malaysia in their third pool match. The Vantage Black Sticks take on Malaysia at 10:15pm NZT on Tuesday 16 June, with the match available to watch live and free on TVNZ+.

New Zealand Goal Scorers:
31' Kane Russell - Penalty Corner Goal
34' Scott Boyde - Field Goal
47' Dylan Thomas - Field Goal
52' Kane Russell - Penalty Corner Goal
55' Benji Culhane - Field Goal
59' Dylan Thomas - Field Goal

14/06/2026

P2 M Shield 🛡️ winners
Sunday June 14th
Nelson College
Nelson College 2 v Waimai United 2
Congratulations 🎉!!!!

14/06/2026

STARS READY TO SHINE AS FIH NATIONS CUP COUNTDOWN BEGINS IN AUCKLAND

For the first time in nearly a decade, a major international hockey tournament is set to take place on New Zealand shores.

Auckland put on a spectacular show this morning as the captains of the eight competing nations gathered ahead of the 2026 FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup. A layer of cloud blanketed the city, with the Sky Tower rising above the skyline to provide a stunning backdrop for the official pre-tournament photo shoot.

Excitement is building as players from across the globe come together ahead of what promises to be an exciting week of international hockey.

For Vantage Black Sticks Women captain Olivia Shannon, the opportunity to defend a Nations Cup title on home soil places New Zealand in a unique position.
"We are usually the underdogs, so to go out there as the defending champions of this tournament, it's really important that we perform well."

Shannon's appointment as captain for the tournament marks another milestone in her career, leading New Zealand at a major international event at home for the first time.

She says the support of local fans will play a significant role throughout the week.
"For the team, playing at home means a lot. We haven't had a tournament here in nine years, so to have an FIH event in New Zealand means a lot not only to us, but to the hockey community and the whole country. It's really exciting."

The tournament gets underway on Monday, with the Vantage Black Sticks Women opening their campaign against Korea at 6:00pm.

Shannon says the squad is ready for the challenge.
"Preparation has been really good. We've had two practice matches, some quality training sessions, and now a rest day before our captain's run tomorrow."

"The girls have done the work while they've been away, and coming into camp everything is looking really positive. We're excited to get started."

Action begins earlier in the day when the United States take on India in what shapes as one of the standout matches of the opening round.

For all eight nations competing in Auckland, the tournament presents a significant opportunity, with promotion to the FIH Pro League available to the tournament winner.

United States captain Meredith Sholder said her team is embracing the challenge.
"We have some really good competition coming up. The squad here has been working really hard, so I'm excited to see how we perform."

Fans can still purchase tickets to attend matches at the North Harbour Hockey Centre. For those unable to attend, all Vantage Black Sticks Women matches will be broadcast live and free on TVNZ+, while the full tournament will be available on HockeyTV.

13/06/2026

NHA SR.M&W v West Coast Hockey Association Greymouth
Sunday June 7th
Nelson Hockey Association

Nelson hockey teams open season with wins

12/06/2026

Federal 125 Years Anniversary celebrations underway….
Welcome everyone!!!!

12/06/2026

🏑👏 CONGRATULATIONS ANDREW SPENCE! 👏🏑

Nelson Hockey Association is proud to celebrate and acknowledge Andrew Spence, who has been officially confirmed as Tournament Director for the upcoming 2026 HNZ U18 Men’s National Tournament in Tauranga.

This is a huge achievement and a well‑deserved recognition of Andrew’s dedication, leadership, and contribution to hockey both locally and nationally.
We are incredibly proud of this appointment and the trust placed in Andrew to lead such an important event.

Congratulations, Andrew!
Your commitment to the game continues to inspire our hockey community. 💙🏑

12/06/2026

Match Day!

MATCH DAY.

The Vantage Black Sticks men take on Scotland in their opening match of the 2026 FIH Nations Cup in South Africa.

For the early risers, you can watch the match LIVE on watch.hockey at 5am NZT or you can watch the match on delay on TVNZ+ later in the morning.

Team lineup to follow...

12/06/2026

Federal Hockey 125 Anniversary celebrations today!
We’ll see you all at NHA today for celebrate this amazing day with Federal Hockey…
Congratulations 👏 Federal!!!!…and Happy anniversary!!!!

12/06/2026

CoachMate Information

Tournament season is coming!

Did you know CoachMate (your All-in-One Coaching App) can help you plan sessions, stay organised, and keep your players, supporters, coaches, and managers connected... all in one place.

It's easier with CoachMate so be sure to learn more ahead of your Tournaments.

To learn more and download the app, head here: https://hockeynz.brackenlearning.com/coachmate

11/06/2026

💙🏑 NELSON HOCKEY REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURE — THIS SUNDAY IN BLENHEIM! 🏑💙

Nelson Hockey Association proudly announces our Senior Men’s A & B Teams representing NHA this Sunday, 14 June, in our annual fixture against Marlborough Hockey.

We wish all players, coaches, managers, and umpires the very best for a fantastic day of hockey — and invite our community to come along and support our teams in Blenheim!
Let’s celebrate the spirit of competition and the friendship between our associations.

📅 FIXTURE PROGRAM — SUNDAY 14 JUNE (Blenheim)
10:00am – Marlborough Women’s B vs Nelson Women’s B (Wyn Robinson Cup)
11:30am – Marlborough Men’s B vs Nelson Men’s B (Russell Trophy)
1:00pm – Marlborough Women’s A vs Nelson Women’s A (Ken Beach Trophy)
2:30pm – Marlborough Men’s A vs Nelson Men’s A (McCarthy Cup)

Best of luck to all teams — play hard, play fair, and enjoy the day!
Go Nelson! 💙🏑