Hockey: Dearth of goals headache for Rutledge

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The alarm bells are not clanging just yet but after playing 210 minutes of hockey against Australia in the Oceania Olympic qualifiers without scoring a goal there must be concerns for national women's coach Ian Rutledge.

After Saturday's 6-0 loss in the third of three tests against the Olympic champions in Whangarei, Rutledge said there would be up to four changes when the team to play the Champions Challenge in Italy next month was named this week.

"Not so much because we weren't happy with what we saw against Australia but because we want to take the opportunity of looking look at other players in the 24-strong squad," said Rutledge.

The Black Sticks lost 2-0, 2-0 and 6-0 in the series which assured Australia of the Oceania spot at next year's Olympics.

New Zealand have a second chance when they host the Olympic qualifying tournament in Auckland in March where the top five [of 10] will win through to the 10-team Olympic tournament.

Three goals, the first a penalty stroke, in the opening 17 minutes in Whangarei had Australia firmly in control.

Disconcertingly for the home side, they enjoyed the lion's share of possession for much of the game but had just five shots on goal compared to Australia's 23. Each team forced three penalty corners.

In Katrina Powell, Australia had the player who made the difference.

Now close to being acknowledged as the greatest goal-scorer ever in Australian women's hockey, Powell scored a hat-trick.

"Australia are very efficient in their goalscoring," said Rutledge. "And, we did not help ourselves by being a bit loose at the back.

"I don't think we deserved to win but losing by six was probably not a fair indication of how the game went. We were a bit flat ...

"Our biggest shortcoming was the lack of penetration [into the circle]. We have players who have the ability to be goalscorers. We just have to work hard at it."

In the previous series against Canada, New Zealand, while winning two and drawing two, scored just six goals.

"I'll be spending a lot of time working with the strikers," said Rutledge. "Kayla Sharland at 17 showed she has something.

"Our inexperienced forward line was up against a defence of which four of their five players were Olympic goal medallists."

Australian assistant coach Mark Hager said he was pleased with his team's conversion rate.

"We go on from here to a six-nation tournament in Korea in a couple of weeks then have a month in Europe in August," said Hager.

"We also hope to play New Zealand again in October before we play the Champions Trophy in November-December."

New Zealand captain Helen Clarke, who sat out the last minutes of Saturday's game to give Manawatu goalkeeper Anita Wawatai game time, admitted the Australians scored "a couple of quality goals."

"I don't think Ian Rutledge will be too upset with our performance," said Clarke.

Rutledge said he would probably name 14 of the 18 players for the Italian tournament by the end of the week.

The remaining places will be filled after the academy team returns from Australia.

That team, with New Zealand selector Chris Leslie as coach, leaves on Sunday.