The New Zealand men’s team have qualified for the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague as best ranked losers in the Third Round competition. The Black Sticks had to wait two weeks after finishing fourth in the Rotterdam leg of the Third Round competition to find out if they were through. Korea ended in fourth place in the Malaysia Third Round after losing 2-1 to England in the play-offs. Korea are lower than New Zealand in the world rankings, so the Kiwis win the place for best Third Round loser.

Seven teams have now qualified for the Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014: the Netherlands, Germany, England, Argentina, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. The other five places go to the continental champions (see schedule). If one of the countries which have already qualified ends up a champion, an extra place will go the ‘best of the rest’ in the Third Round.

(See also the overview of the qualification rules)