HOCKEY: THE Hockeyroos have learned from stablemates the Kookaburras to expect the unexpected when they take on host nation Japan in their third Pool match at Oi Hockey Stadium.
Rising to the occasion, Japan proved themselves as a nation not to be underestimated in the men’s tournament scoring three quick goals to put the Aussie team under pressure, and the women are expected to do the same.
Hockeyroos Head coach Katrina Powell said the host nation sounded a warning to the hockey world in their match against the Kookaburras.
“They are a really excitable team,” Powell said of the Japanese women.
“They’re fast and you can lose track of them easily; they are a good leading team.
“Japan at home in the conditions, they are going to be really tough to beat.”
The Japanese women earned the right to compete at the Olympics, not just due to being the host nation, but by winning the 2018 Asian Games.
Already they have proved themselves in this tournament with strong performances despite losing to both against China (3-4) and New Zealand (2-1).
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Japan and Australia have played 60 internationals with the Hockeyroos boasting 42 wins, but it is the nine draws including one at the Tokyo Test Event in 2019 that have the Australians on notice.
Later in the night, the Kookaburras take on New Zealand, with head coach Colin Batch warning familiarity could be a curse when it comes to his side’s penultimate Pool match.
The ANZAC nations have relied solely on each other for pre-Olympic match practice due to COVID border closures, and while Australia has notched six straight wins, they won’t be underestimating their Kiwi rivals.
In what is a replay of the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal match, Australia goes into this match with top billing after three straight wins, while New Zealand secured a win against Spain (4-3), draw with Japan (2-2) and loss to India (3-2).
History is on the Kookaburras’ side too. The Kookaburras have lost just 19 of the 151 matches they have played against the Kiwis but it is their disciplined and well-structured play that has the Aussies on notice.
Batch knows the Black Sticks culture well having coached the team between 2012-2016. He was on the verge of taking them to the semi-finals at the Rio Olympics, but the Kiwis conceded three goals in the final four minutes of the game to lose 3-2 to Germany.
“We’ve had six wins, but we feel they (New Zealand) are probably holding something back,” Batch said.
“They are a good side. They have had some good tournament play; you only need to look back to the Commonwealth Games where they had what I think was their most consistent tournament.
“We played them in the Final and we only won 2-0; they can’t be underestimated.”
While the Kookaburras have dominated Pool A of this Olympic tournament to date, they will need to accelerate their dominance earlier in the match when it comes to the knockout stage.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Men’s Hockey
Kookaburras v New Zealand
Wednesday 28 July 2021
Oi Stadium, Tokyo
Start time: 9:15pm local (10:15pm AEST)
Broadcast: LIVE on 7Plus
Kookaburras v New Zealand - Overall Record
Played 151; Kookaburras 112, Draws 20, New Zealand 19
Last time they met
27-Jun-21 FIH Pro League (Perth)
Kookaburras 2 (Ephraums 11', Govers 40')
New Zealand 0
Kookaburras squad: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 2.Tom Craig, 5.Tom Wickham, 6.Matthew Dawson, 10.Josh Beltz, 11.Eddie Ockenden, 12.Jake Whetton, 13.Blake Govers, 14.Dylan Martin, 15.Josh Simmonds, 16.Tim Howard, 17.Aran Zalewski, 22.Flynn Ogilvie, 23.Daniel Beale, 25.Trent Mitton, 29.Tim Brand, 30.Andrew Charter (gk), 32.Jeremy Hayward
Kookaburras Schedule (full hockey competition schedule)
Friday 30 July (10.00am local, 11.00am AEST)
Kookaburras v Spain
Catriona Dixon