Town duo Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson could add to their international caps this evening when New Zealand face Northern Ireland in a friendly at Windsor Park, Belfast (Premier HD, from 7.40pm).
The All Whites are preparing for the Confederations Cup in Russia later this month and take on League of Ireland side Cabinteely in Dublin in another friendly next Tuesday with head coach Anthony Hudson picking his final squad for the tournament two days after that match. The New Zealanders then come up against Belarus in Minsk in a final friendly on Monday 12th June.
In the Confederations Cup itself the All Whites will take on the hosts in St Petersburg in the opening group game on Saturday 17th June, Mexico in Sochi four days later and then Portugal back in St Petersburg on Saturday June 24th.
Smith, who is a certain starter in tonight’s game with Patterson more likely to be among the subs, is expecting a Championship style match.
"[It's] more a game that I am used to," he said. "They are a lot more direct, which is very similar to what I come up against week in, week out. I've played against a number of their players before, so hopefully I can pass on a bit of that knowledge.”
Smith is hoping that the All Whites can reach his second World Cup in Russia next year - they continue the qualification process in August and September - and says the Confederations Cup will provide important experience for the squad.
"Last time we were at a major tournament was the [2010] World Cup and we want to get there again and this is another stepping stone towards that,” he added.
The 27-year-old centre-half has previously won 31 caps and has scored two international goals, while striker or midfielder Patterson, 20, who is yet to make his senior debut for the Blues, has won nine caps and has netted once.
Former Blues loanee Chris Wood, now with Leeds, is skippering the squad in the absence of regular captain, West Ham’s Winston Reid. Ex-Town captain Gareth McAuley will not be involved for Northern Ireland due to a knock.
All Whites: Stefan Marinovic (SpVgg Unterhaching), Tamati Williams (RKC Waalwijk), Glen Moss (Newcastle Jets), Andrew Durante (Wellington Phoenix), Thomas Doyle (Wellington Phoenix), Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners), Michael Boxall (SuperSport Utd), Kip Colvey (San Jose Earthquakes), Themi Tzimopoulos (PAS Giannina), Deklan Wynne (Vancouver Whitecaps), Sam Brotherton (Sunderland), Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town), Dane Ingham (Brisbane Roar), Bill Tuiloma (Marseille), Clayton Lewis (Auckland City), Michael McGlinchey (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle), Marco Rojas (Melbourne Victory), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Chris Wood (c) (Leeds Utd), Monty Patterson (Ipswich Town), Shane Smeltz (Borneo FC), Kosta Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix).