Hockey: Black Sticks' first game a 'must-win'

Sophie Devine and Sam Harrison of the Blacksticks. Photo / Getty Images.

What constitutes a good tournament draw?

Or does the fact teams all play each other at some point negate the up and down sides of the schedule?

Take the New Zealand women's hockey team, who will kick off the Olympic tournament in London on July 29, against arch rivals Australia at the Riverbank Arena inside the Olympic Park.

The world No 6 Black Sticks against the Aussies, ranked one spot behind them, has must-win writ large across it in terms of New Zealand's ambitions in the Games tournament.

New Zealand have won two and drawn one of their last four clashes over the last 11 months.

The two teams expected to be least problematic for New Zealand, South Africa and the United States, are second and fourth on their programme, with the tough pair of Argentina and Germany up third and fifth respectively.

On balance, coach Mark Hager reckons the draw is good.

"It's probably good [having Australia first] because we both know each other so well. We've had some great battles with them over the last three years, so nerves probably aren't going to be there, as if they might playing someone we hadn't [played] for a while," Hager said yesterday.

"We know what we're going to get."

Beat Australia, then South Africa, and New Zealand are off and rolling in their quest for a top four spot in the playoffs.

Hager is aware their group of six teams has been accorded the "pool of death" tag, but he argued that's no bad thing.

"People are saying that because everyone can beat each other. South Africa and the United States aren't going to be easybeats. They've had some good results and are both going to be difficult.

"But if you slip up you've got an opportunity to bounce back, or you can bank on a result going your way in one of the other games. In that way it's probably a bonus being in such a tough pool."

The Black Sticks are off to China and Korea on Saturday for seven internationals, as part of their preparation ahead of the naming of the 16-strong Olympic squad in mid-June.

The national men's team have a testing start, against Korea, who are ranked one spot higher than New Zealand. It shapes as a clutch game, considering New Zealand finish pool play against defending Olympic champions Germany.

The men's Black Sticks start the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia tonight.

OLYMPIC HOCKEY DRAW

Olympic Games hockey draw (NZ times)

Men: July 30: v Korea (6), 7.30pm; Aug 2: v India (10) 12.45am; Aug 3: v Netherlands (3) 9.45pm; Aug 5: v Belgium (11) 7.30pm; Aug 8: v Germany (2) 8.15am.
Women: July 29: v Australia (7) 7.30pm; July 31: v South Africa (12) 7.30pm; Aug 3: v Argentina (2) 8.15am; Aug 5: v United States (10) 6am; Aug 6: v Germany (3) 7.30pm.