Hockey: Black Sticks require quick turnaround

Striker Hugo Inglis pulled a goal back for the Black Sticks against Australia. Photo / Greg Bowker

Australia won the early skirmish, but New Zealand's eyes are on the main event at hockey's Oceania Cup.

The world No 1 Australians beat the Black Sticks 3-1 in their men's round robin clash in Stratford today but there wasn't much in it.

The teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon in a match the world No 7 New Zealand must win to advance to next year's Rio Olympic Games.

Lose, and it'll be the first Olympics they have missed since 2000, and likely cost a large chunk of funding too.

There wasn't much in today's match. Australia got off to a rollicking start with a goal inside the first minute by veteran striker Jamie Dwyer.

It was pretty even from then on. It was not until nine minutes from the end that Tom Craig increased the lead with an overhead deflection.

Striker Hugo Inglis closed the gap with a goal from a sharp angle five minutes from the end before Glenn Turner's late goal regained the two-goal margin.

Nick Wilson and Ryan Archibald both went close for the Black Sticks, who felt it had been a good hit out.

New Zealand certainly held some cards up their sleeve ahead of Sunday's match but believed they had gained much from the match.

Fiji thumped Samoa 20-0 in the other men's game, while Australia's women belted their Samoan opponents 25-0.

The women's Black Sticks, ranked fourth in the world, had a day off today as they prepare for back-to-back games against second-ranked Australia on Saturday and Sunday. Both those sides have qualified for Rio, so their matches will be more about pride than absolute necessity.