Aussies to use Games as spur
HOCKEYROOS captain Emily Smith is looking to “get one back” on Commonwealth Games gold medallists New Zealand in the decisive World Cup encounter in London on Sunday.
World No.5 Australia and world No.4 New Zealand will meet from 5am on Sunday (Qld time) in the last Pool D game to decide final pool placings and who qualifies for the quarter-finals and play-offs.
The top-ranked side from each pool will progress to the final eight, while second and third will go into the knockout play-offs on Tuesday to fight for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Australia, whose squad includes Gold Coast star Rosie Malone and Cabarita’s Madison Fitzpatrick, sit on top of Pool D with four points from two games and are guaranteed to finish in the top three.
New Zealand and Japan are second and third respectively with three points, with Belgium fourth on one point.
With pool placings up for grabs, the Hockeyroos will have no shortage of motivation against the Black Sticks with their recent history in mind too.
New Zealand defeated Australia in the Commonwealth Games gold medal match on the Gold Coast in April, while they also knocked the Hockeyroos out of the 2016 Rio Olympics in the quarter-finals.
Australia claimed some revenge with victory in May’s Tri Nations in Queenstown, New Zealand.
“We’ve had this transTasman rivalry for years,” Smith said. “We always know it’s going to be a hard-fought game. I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“They obviously got the better of us at our home Comm Games. That was disappointing and a bit of heartbreak to swallow.
“We need to get them one back. They lost their game (2-1 to Japan on Tuesday) so they’ll be wanting to come out and show the rest of the world why they’re here.
“We want to do the same.” Australia could have put one foot firmly in the quarterfinals if they had claimed victory against Belgium on Tuesday night, instead settling for a 0-0 draw.
“I’d say it was an opportunity missed,” Smith said.