England Loss Creates Bigger Ramifications for Hockeyroos

The Hockeyroos are in danger of being relegated from the vital 2012 Champions Trophy after losing 2-0 to England and finishing in sixth place at the 2011 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Australia needed to finish in fifth position to guarantee a place at the 2012 Champions Trophy after the International Hockey Federation (FIH) revealed on Wednesday the selection criteria for the 2012 Champions Trophy would include teams who finish 1-5 at the current Champions Trophy, the winner of the 2011 Champions Challenge (Japan) and two other teams who will be nominated by the FIH Board.

Australia will now be vying to be one of the two teams nominated by the FIH along with the likes of China and Germany, who finished seventh and eighth respectively at the Champions Trophy and also missed out on an assured place at the 2012 Champions Trophy.

Despite Australia finishing higher at the current Champions Trophy than both China and Germany, the FIH have stated that their decision on who they will nominate will be based on commercial advantage to the sport, world ranking and development of the game. This leaves Australia in a delicate position given that both China (world rank 4) and Germany (world rank 3) are ranked higher than Australia (world rank 6).

The 2012 Champions Trophy will be played in Argentina in January 2012, just over six months until the 2012 London Olympics. It is a vital stepping stone for all teams heading towards the Olympics as it will be the last major international tournament involving the best teams in the world before the Games.

Australia’s latest loss to England followed a similar theme for the Hockeyroos for the entire Champions Trophy, with Australia generating more shots on goals, circle penetrations and penalty corners, but failing to convert their chances.

With England recording a 3-2 win over the Hockeyroos on Friday, their first win against Australia at a major tournament since the 2002 Commonwealth Games, England entered the match full of confidence and played that way in the first half.

The Hockeyroos had their chances in the first half including a one on one chance with Marnie Hudson with the goalkeeper. Some great skill from Jade Close gave Georgie Parker a chance after working the ball into the circle, but some great defence denied the chance to get a shot away.

However it was England who struck first, taking the lead early in the first half.

England continued to have the better of the first half, and almost added to their lead just before half time from a penalty corner in the 34th minute, however the shot from England captain Kate Walsh was well run down.

Australia took to the pitch a rejuvenated team after half time, with the ball spending the majority of the opening ten minutes of the half near their circle.

However despite two penalty corner shots and several other circle penetrations, the Hockeyroos failed to get on the scoreboard and make the most of their momentum.

After controlling the play in the second half the Hockeyroos were dealt a big blow when England took it down the other end of the pitch for the first time in the half, drawing a penalty corner and converting to make it 2-0 with only 17 minutes remaining.

Australia battled hard throughout the rest of the half and continued to generate good scoring opportunities, however again failed to transfer their good play onto the scoreboard.

Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens said the results from the Champions Trophy show exactly where the Hockeyroos are at in their development, and showed areas that they need to improve ahead of the London Olympics.

“I thought we dominated the second half. It was a game of two halves where they controlled the first half and we turned it around in the second half. Once again we had more circle penetrations, more shots on goal and more penalty corners but again we were unable to score which has been a common theme,” said Commens.

Commens said the fact that the team can generate so many shots on goal shows that they are on the right track and is something that can be worked on.

“We are getting our chances which is a positive, but I think this showed that we are the sixth ranked team in the world. We need to be able to sustain our efforts and in 12 months we will be more experienced and ready for international hockey. We have some improving to do and we found that out here,” said Commens.

Commens said he is hopeful the Hockeyroos will be given an opportunity to compete at the 2012 Champions Trophy.

“The 2012 Champions Trophy is obviously a really important tournament and I’m hoping we get an invitation as it will give us another indication of where we are at against the world’s best teams.”

Earlier:

The Hockeyroos lost 3-2 to England but are still in with a chance of qualifying for the 2012 Champions Trophy when they face England again Sunday in the 5th v 6th place playoff at the 2011 Champions Trophy.

With the FIH revealing that only the top five teams at the 2011 Champions Trophy are assured of qualifying for the all important 2012 Champions Trophy, it will all come down to tomorrow’s match.

Teams who finish 1-5 at the current Champions Trophy will receive automatic selection for the 2012 Champions Trophy along with the winner of the 2011 Champions Challenge (Japan) and two other teams who will be nominated by the FIH Board. The criteria used by the FIH to make their decision will be commercial advantage to the sport, world ranking and development of the game.

With Germany defeating China in the earlier match, both Australia and England were assured of the 5v6 playoff match despite the result of this match.

Despite the loss, which was England’s first ever win over the Hockeyroos at a Champions Trophy, Australia again showed that despite having one of the youngest teams at the competition, they have what it takes to play against some of the world’s strongest teams.

They can actually feel unlucky to have come away with the loss after Hockeyroos rookie Marnie Hudson scored what appeared to be the opening goal just before half time. However a video referral by England showed what appeared to be minimal infringement in the circle, however the umpire controversially withdrew the goal.

Only a minute later England moved ahead on the scoreboard with their captain Kate White converting a penalty corner to give them a 1-0 half time lead.

Perhaps the biggest positive for the game came from gold coast born Marnie Hudson who really stepped up for the Hockeyroos and undoubtedly played her best game in her short career, equalising for Australia early in the second half to bring them back in the game.

Australia’s celebrations were short lived, with England again responding in the best possible way two minutes later, scoring their second goal and reclaiming the lead.

When they scored their third goal to lead 3-1 with only ten minutes to go, the game appeared over. However to the credit of the Hockeyroos they continued to work hard, with Marnie Hudson again the focal point near goals, scoring her second goal of the match after an initial hit from Casey Eastham in the final three minutes to make it 3-2.

The Hockeyroos will be hoping to learn from this match and turn the tables in the all important 5th v 6th place playoff.

Both teams will be desperate to finish in 5th place and be assured a spot in the 2012 Champions Trophy competition.

The 2012 Champions Trophy will be played in Argentina in January 2012, just over six months until the 2012 London Olympics. It is a vital stepping stone for all teams heading towards the Olympics as it will be the last major international tournament involving the best teams in the world before the Games.

-Hockey Australia