Most might consider a lack of international matchplay a disadvantage going into the Olympic Games, but for the Hockeyroos being an unknown entity on the world stage could be an advantage. 

The Australian Women’s Hockey Team goes into their opening game having played just six internationals against New Zealand since March last year due to the Covid pandemic.  

This is compared to their opponents who narrowly missed the bronze medal at the recent European Championships. 

Hockeyroos Coach Katrina Powell believes her team’s low profile leading into the Olympics will ensure their tactics and set plays are a relative mystery, unlike the European teams who were widely seen in the Netherlands in June. 

Spain, coached by former English under 21 international Adrian Lock, lost 3-1 in the European play-off for the bronze medal against Belgium. 

“Spain has had the benefit of playing the Euros, they have had more competition and their match play will be ahead of ours,” said Powell. 

“They will be a step ahead of us in terms of competition, but they won’t have had the chance to view us either.” 

But Powell isn’t taking anything for granted. Fresh in the minds of both sides will be the 2018 London World Cup playoff where Spain defeated the Hockeyroos for a place on the podium. 

So too the memories of the 1992 Barcelona Games, where the host nation foiled the Hockeyroos’ chances of defending their gold medal from Seoul to finish out of the medals in fifth place. 

“No doubt there will be nerves, a bit of tension leading into the match, a little bit of excitement – so it will be a matter of settling that nice and early,” said Powell. 

“A positive result in the first match is critical.  

Powell expects the Tokyo conditions to alter the way teams, including the Hockeyroos, approach the assignment of five Pool games in seven days. 

“The heat will impact the way we are going to play. We have a fast-attacking Australian style…within the match we will manage that to some extent hoping to make the other team feel under more pressure than we are under,” said Powell. 

“We are playing in exactly the same conditions, so we will be pushing it the whole time.” 

Powell, who took over the reigns as national coach just over 100 days ago, believes the disrupted Olympic preparation has prepared the athletes to be at their best in Tokyo. 

The team hasn’t been without match practice, regularly competing against Australia’s best under 21 and under 18 men’s teams in a bid to be ready for the Games. 

“The players have absolutely grown as people, they have been flexing that resilience muscle,” said Powell. 

“Our focus leading into Tokyo has been on getting the players to recognise how much they've grown in that time; to recognize where they've got to as hockey players and as people.” 

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Women’s Hockey 

• Hockeyroos v Spain 
• Sunday 25 July 2021 
• Oi Stadium, Tokyo 
• Start time: 10:00am local (11:00am AEST) 
• Broadcast: LIVE on 7Plus 

Overall Record v Spain 

• Played 55; Hockeyroos 41, Draws 9, Spain 5 

Last time they met 

• 6-Aug-18 (2018 World Cup, London) 
• Hockeyroos 1 (Slattery 40') v Spain 3 (Lopez Garcia 11', Bonastre 14', Magaz 51') 

Hockeyroos squad: 2.Rosie Malone, 3.Brooke Peris, 4.Amy Lawton, 8.Georgia Wilson, 10.Maddy Fitzpatrick, 12.Greta Hayes, 13.Edwina Bone, 14.Steph Kershaw, 15.Kaitlin Nobbs, 18.Jane Claxton, 20.Karri Somerville, 21.Renee Taylor, 22.Kate Jenner, 24.Mariah Williams, 26.Emily Chalker, 27.Rachael Lynch (gk), 30.Grace Stewart, 32.Savannah Fitzpatrick 

Hockeyroos Schedule

• Sunday 25 July (10.00am local, 11.00am AEST) | Hockeyroos v Spain 
• Monday 26 July (12.15pm local, 1.15pm AEST) | Hockeyroos v China 
• Wednesday 28 July (6.30pm local, 7.30pm AEST) | Japan v Hockeyroos
• Thursday 29 July (10.15pm AEST) | New Zealand v Hockeyroos 
• Saturday 31 July (11.45am local) | Argentina v Hockeyroos

Catriona Dixon

#HaveAGo at Hockey