Kiwis set to stick it to Aussies

NEW Zealand loom as the main rivals for Australia’s men’s and women’s hockey teams at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

In the Gold Coast 2018 draw conducted yesterday, the world No.2 Kookaburras avoided powerhouses India and England, instead drawn along with the Black Sticks (eight), Canada (11), South Africa (15) and Scotland (23) in their hunt for a sixth-consecutive gold medal.

The world No.4 Hockeyroos have been spared a pool match-up with world No.2 England and will test themselves against New Zealand (five), Scotland (18), Canada (21) and Ghana (30), with the top two teams from each pool to advance to the semi-finals.

“We’ve got genuine history with New Zealand,” Hockeyroos captain Emily Smith said.