Town duo Tommy Smith and Josh Carson are set to add to their international caps on Saturday. Smith will skipper New Zealand in their opening game at the Oceania Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands against Fiji, while Carson’s Northern Ireland take on the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Smith will win his 12th cap in the game in Honiara with Oceania Nations Cup matches doubling as World Cup qualifiers. The All Whites subsequently take on Papua New Guinea (June 4th) and the hosts (June 6th).
The conditions are likely to prove as much of a challenge as the opposition with temperatures likely to be above 30 degrees with humidity touching 90 per cent.
The 22-year-old, who last week became New Zealand's youngest-ever captain, says he has sought the advice of his more senior team-mates ahead of the games: "Hopefully I can take that on board and relish the opportunity given to me.
"It's different to anything else I've experienced but it seems like a relatively nice place. The people seem really nice and friendly, so I think it'll be a good experience for me personally and another country ticked off the list."
Carson, who is 19 on Sunday, will win his third full cap if he is involved in Northern Ireland's friendly at the Amsterdam Arena (BBC 2 NI, Sky channel 992, 6.50pm).
On Monday, Blues striker Ronan Murray could win his third Republic of Ireland U21 cap when his side take on Italy in a Euro 2013 qualifier in Sligo.
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