Commonwealth Games hockey: Kookaburras to play India for gold

The Kookaburra have survived a major scare to secure victory over England and lock in their seventh straight Commonwealth Games hockey final.

Nathan Ephraums celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal for Australia against New Zealand on day four of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Getty Images

The Kookaburras have overcame a major scare to beat England and reach the gold medal match in the men’s hockey at the Commonwealth Games.

Eddie Ockenden’s team had a parochial Saturday night crowd and classy England side against them and they trailed 2-0 at the University of Birmingham before roaring home for a 3-2 victory.

The Kookaburras will face India for gold on Monday.

Flynn Ogilvie fights England’s Zachary Wallace for the ball during the Commonwealth Games semi finals. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

They’ve won every Commonwealth gold since the sport was introduced at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games and the streak is a chance to stay alive.England’s Phil Roper (12th minute) and Zach Roper (19th) gave the hosts a shock lead to put an unusually flustered Australia under the pump.

Blake Govers converted a 27th-minute penalty corner just before halftime to peg the deficit to 1-2 and momentarily hush a crowd that had booed the Australians when they first appeared.

Australia on their way to another hockey final. Picture: Tom Dulat/Getty Images

Jacob Anderson converted incredible skillful lead-up work to level at 2-2 in the 44th minute. Daniel Beale found the net in the 50th minute and after a length video review, it was allowed had all they needed. A lead they kept until the end.

Kookaburras’ terrifying warning to gold medal rivals

By Joe Barton

The Kookaburras humiliated little brother New Zealand in a ferocious display that should send shudders through anyone with designs on breaking their gold medal stranglehold.

Through two games, Australia have established themselves as clear-cut favourites for a stunning seventh Commonwealth Games gold.

New Zealand were expected to be the toughest test of Pool A, but the Kookaburras were unstoppable – winning all four quarters in a 7-2 bash-up with their own terrifying brand of ‘heavy metal hockey’.

It’s just relentless, all-out attack where goals are the order of the day.

This was a complete performance against a team they’ve not lost to in nearly six years.

“I wouldn’t say it was easy — New Zealand are a very good opposition and looking at the pool stages this was one we put on the calendar pretty early when we looked at the draw,” said Jake Whetton.

“We knew we needed to play really well to get a result.”

Timothy Brand and teammates during Australia’s clash with New Zealand on day four of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Getty Images

Star striker Blake Govers has debuted a ‘filthy’ mullet, and the moustache to match it, at this tournament in a bid to unsettle his opponents.

The inspiration? Australian sporting legends Cameron Smith, of the golfing variety, and the greatest fast bowler of them all, Dennis Lillee.

Whether it’s the mullet, the mo, or just a whole heap of God-given talent, Govers is proving a handful in Birmingham this week.

He’s rapidly approaching a career strike rate of almost a goal per game and was again a constant threat against New Zealand.

Blake Govers celebrates with his teammates after scoring Australia’s second goal against New Zealand and Australia on day four of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Getty Images

Govers fired Australia to a healthy halftime lead when he buried two penalty corners with laser-like precision.

One of the finest exponents of the drag flick in world hockey, Govers’ unstoppable tracer-bullet shots settled Australis’ nerves and when Jake Whetton smashed home a rebounded shot nearing on halftime the gold medal favourites were in complete command.

But in rainy conditions they were certainly tested. The Black Sticks, ranked ninth in the world, always play their best against Australia.

They play a similar style, scrap for every inch on the pitch and despise losing to their big brothers from across the Tasman – something that’s happened every game since the 2016 Tasman Cup, when New Zealand last tasted victory.

Proving just how tense the match had become, Australia’s players were warned in the first half over repeated complaints to the referee – with a threat of time in the sin-bin.

A three-goal cushion became four after the break when Nathan Ephraums scored the goal of the match with an outrageous strike – while falling – and captain Aran Zalewski, who finished with two goals, added another from a penalty corner to put the game out of reach before the three-quarter break.

“This is big boy hockey out there. They’re going to win for their country and we’re trying to win for ours,” Whetton added.

“Tensions can flare up and I think it was pretty well handled throughout the game.

“There were moments where it needed to calm down, but overall I think that’s how hockey’s played — in a really good manner.”

Nathan Ephraums celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal for Australia against New Zealand on day four of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier, Ghana were denied a historic first men’s hockey victory when they drew with Canada following a controversial last-second penalty stroke.

In a match filled to the brim with high drama, Ghana led from Benjamin Kwofie’s second-quarter goal right up until time expired – when Canada were controversially awarded a penalty stroke.

In between, Ghana had a goal scratched off for a questionable back-stick call but it was the penalty – converted by Keegan Pereira which left the underdogs – and the crowd – fuming, with loud boos drowning out Canada’s cheers at the end of the 1-1 draw.