Hockey: Olympic qualifiers warm-up for Japan

Four practice matches against New Zealand this week will put the finishing touches on Japan's preparation for the Olympic hockey qualifying tournament in Auckland next month.

Japan arrived in Christchurch yesterday from Sydney where they have been training and playing matches against the New South Wales national league side.

Japan are in the opposite pool to New Zealand at the qualifying tournament, starting in Auckland on March 19.

The teams will play today, then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The Japanese will return home on Saturday for a two-week break before returning to Auckland for their first match against South Korea on March 19.

Japan have been one of the improvers in international hockey in the last two years and will give New Zealand a good gauge on how effective their five-week training camp in Christchurch has been.

Japan this month finished second at the Asia Cup in New Delhi, losing the final 0-1 to India.

Japanese manager Zenjiro Yasuda said the team were pleased with their placing there considering the stress they were under coping with food and water problems in India.

They finished ahead of South Korea, who fielded an under-21 team at the tournament, and China, who were without four of their leading players.

Yasuda said Japan expected close games against New Zealand, and the last five meetings between the sides indicate that is likely.

Three of the matches have been won 2-1 by Japan, the last 4-2, and the other was a 1-1 draw.

Japan have Russia, South Korea, Spain and the United States in their pool in Auckland and aim is to finish in the first two to avoid the playoff for the fifth and last qualifying place at the Olympics.

Yasuda said Japan would have to beat the United States and Russia and then either Spain or Korea to finish in the first two in the pool and a ensure a place in the top four.

The New Zealand team have been in Christchurch since late last month preparing for the matches against Japan and, more importantly, the Olympic qualifying series.

They are in the same pool for the qualifiers as Great Britain, Germany, Ireland and Ukraine.

- NZPA