The Hockeyroos have one foot in the door of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games following a commanding 3-0 win over New Zealand in the first match of the 2023 Oceania Cup in Whangarei.

Teenager Claire Colwill’s third international goal on the stroke of half time, followed by two goals in the space of a minute from Rosie Malone and Brooke Peris ensured the Hockeyroos take a crucial advantage heading into Match 2 of the best-of-three match series on Saturday.

In addition to the score line, the result and performance will give the Hockeyroos significant belief and confidence to secure the one more win required to become the first team other than host nation France to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games hockey tournament.

From the outset, the intensity matched the importance of the occasion as both sides looked to play up tempo hockey.

The Hockeyroos had the better of the opening quarter, recording six circle entries to none but could not convert their dominance on the scoreboard.

The best chance came when New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete Grace Stewart sent the ball into the circle for Renee Taylor to pull the trigger, but Grace O’Hanlon, making her 100th Black Sticks appearance, produced a sharp save.

As the Hockeyroos continued to make inroads, they won the first penalty corner of the match with 45 seconds to go in the first half and it led to the breakthrough.

Peris injected for Kaitlin Nobbs – a NSWIS scholarship athlete – to trap and Colwill sent a superbly executed drag flick past O’Hanlon and the Black Sticks defender guarding the post.

The Hockeyroos then blew the game open in the 34th minute with two goals in quick succession.

It started when a Colwill drag flick was saved by O’Hanlon, the ball falling invitingly into the path of Malone, and she made no mistake knocking the rebound into the back of the net.

The two goal advantage quickly became three when Taylor beat two Black Sticks before sending a defence splitting through ball into space.

Peris won the foot race against Megan Hull, expertly sneaking her shot around an encroaching O’Hanlon.

It was a stunning burst from the Hockeyroos to give the hosts a mountain to climb. Katie Doar tried her best to launch a Black Sticks revival when she rocketed a tomahawk that crashed into the post late in the third quarter.

Steph Kershaw narrowly missed adding a fourth when she flashed a shot just wide midway through the last quarter, before NSWIS athlete Jocelyn Bartram denied a Hannah Cotter effort to ensure there would be no blemish at the other end.

While pleased with the outcome, Hockeyroos captain Jane Claxton was quick to state there was still a massive job ahead of them.

“With the rivalry between us it always makes it sweeter but there are two games to go and we know we have a grind ahead of us,” said Claxton.

“The Black Sticks are relentless in defence and do not let you go past them easily. Those three goals we scored, we had to earn them so we’ll be looking at how we can find gaps in their defence come the weekend.”

The teams will return for match 2 on Saturday at 2pm AEST. The Oceania Cup is LIVE and free on 7plus.

Match Details
New Zealand 0
Hockeyroos 3 (Colwill 30’, Malone 34’, Peris 34’)
@ Whangarei

Hockeyroos: 1.Claire Colwill, 2.Rosie Malone, 3.Brooke Peris, 4.Amy Lawton, 6.Penny Squibb, 13.Hattie Shand, 14.Stephanie Kershaw, 15.Kailtin Nobbs, 16.Courtney Schonell, 18.Jane Claxton (c), 19.Jocelyn Bartram (gk), 20.Karri Somerville, 21.Renee Taylor, 22.Tatum Stewart, 23.Mariah Williams, 29.Rebecca Greiner, 30.Grace Stewart
Unused substitute: 41.Zoe Newman (gk)

Team line-ups

2023 Oceania Cup – New Zealand v Australia
Whangarei, New Zealand
10-13 August 2023
Broadcast: LIVE and free on 7plus

Match Schedule
Saturday 12 August
12pm AEST Black Sticks Men v Kookaburras
2pm AEST Black Sticks Women v Hockeyroos

Sunday 13 August
12pm AEST Black Sticks Men v Kookaburras
2pm AEST Black Sticks Women v Hockeyroos

Story courtesy of Hockey Australia

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