Holcombe’s Brad Read won the FIH Nations Cup 2023-24 in Poland on Sunday with New Zealand, giving the Black Sticks the chance to return to the FIH Pro League for next season. 

New Zealand won all four of their Pool A matches to qualify for the semi-finals, beating Pakistan 2-1 to set up a final with France. 

A 1-1 draw in normal time sent the match to a shootout, which New Zealand won 4-3 to seal a chance at an immediate Pro League return. 

Read played in all six matches across the tournament, scoring in the first match against hosts Poland before involvement against Austria, South Africa and Korea.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s women – featuring new Holcombe signings Kaitlin Cotter and Olivia Shannon – finished fourth at their FIH Nations Cup tournament in Spain. 

Shannon started in all five matches with Cotter involved throughout as the Black Sticks topped their Pool B with wins against Chile and Canada, and a draw against Japan.

Those results set up a last-four tie with Ireland, who emerged victorious 2-1 before Chile reversed the pool stage result to beat New Zealand 2-1 in the Third/Fourth-Place Play-Off on Sunday.