Hockey: HB Cup 'ideal leg on road to Rio'

Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens

While it has been and will be a cat-and-mouse game in Hastings the Hawke's Bay Cup is the ideal platform to arouse the intangible qualities of teams, according to Australia women's international coach, Adam Commens.

"I think it's important that you should learn how to win big games so the cup provides that opportunity to play in the quarterfinal, semifinal and final situations," says Commens, appreciating the added pressure from must-win games.

"As a team I think you must learn how to win those matches regardless of how you do it.

"You don't always have to play superb, attacking clean hockey to do it. Sometimes you just have to defend to grind out a victory," he says, reflecting on last year's final when he believes they used the same ploy to become champions here.

"Tomorrow, I believe, will be very similar," he says of the semifinal No 2 from 6.15pm at the Unison Hockey Stadium at the HB Regional Sports Park.

While the Australasian contenders prefer to flirt with an attacking brand of the game, Commens reckons it'll be those who hang their caps on the pillar of the big D who will prosper.

"Ultimately the team that defends the best will be the ones who'll get the result."

The 39-year-old former Kookaburra (1997-2004) has been at the helm of the women's team for five years as coach and, as a player, has won bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and silver at 2002 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, and gold at 1998 Commonwealth Games in the same city.

He also coached the Belgium men's team from 2007-11 and took them to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Since the 2012 London Olympics, Australia have had a nucleus of players who should have built a healthy balance in their confidence bank although this time last year they were ranked No 2 in the world but are No 3 this year.

"So far it's been a worthwhile experience this tournament and the matches have been of a good standard," he says, singling out their opening 1-1 stalemate against Japan last Saturday as the tough one.

"It's allowed us to work on our processes on the road to Rio so that's what this whole tournament is about for us."

Commens echoes sentiments of Black Sticks coach Mark Hager that the Aussies have had the wood on the hosts for the past few years.

"In saying that, if you look at the way the Black Sticks are playing at the moment they are certainly showing they are a very capable side who can match it with the best teams in the world," he says, emphasising the New Zealanders were finalists at the World League and boast quality across the turf.

"We need to be on top of our game if we're going to get the game tomorrow but we're confident that we are capable of doing that."

The desire to etch their name on the cup again is still high because Commens believes it can be timely catalyst to fuel his women to Rio.