At least one men's Black Sticks player has gone from being within minutes of retirement from international hockey to zeroing in on an Olympic campaign

New Zealand's come from behind win over Pakistan in the last-ditch qualifier in Oman has clinched the last spot for Paris.

Veteran Hugo Inglis - who evidently is planning to call it quits soon - pointed to a pep-talk with himself about the fear of being sent into retirement spurring him on in the second half of the match.

And coach Greg Nicol always believed his team was building to a good result...