New Zealand

The Hockey New Zealand website is reporting that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has confirmed that Oceania will keep its second quota allocation for the men’s tournament at the London 2012 Olympic Games, despite recent appeals from other nations.

In November 2010, the FIH announced a second allocation would be given to Oceania in accordance with the Olympic qualification process based on world rankings.

Bronze medal: England 3 New Zealand 3
New Zealand win on penalties
Final: Australia 8 India 0
England's men's hockey team missed out on the Commonwealth Games bronze medal after they were beaten on penalties by New Zealand on the final day in Delhi.
The game finished 3-3 after extra time with Simon Mantell's hat trick for England cancelling out goals from Dean Couzins, Nick Haig and Hayden Shaw.
Despite chances for both sides in extra time the match headed into a shoot out.

Australia 2 New Zealand 2
Australia win on strokes
A stunning women's Commonwealth Games hockey final ended when Nicole Arrold roofed a penalty stroke in the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi.
The decisive penalty shootout had started depeperately for the Blacksticks who failed to score from their first two strokes. There was a slight twitch from Australia as skipper Madonna Blyth shot wide, but Arrold stayed cooler than an ice-vest to deliver gold to the defending champions.

Monday October 11 – women (UK times in brackets)

Semis
11am (6.30am) Australia vs England
5.30pm (1pm) New Zealand vs South Africa

Playoffs
8.30am (4am) Trinidad and Tobago vs Malaysia (9/10)
1.30pm (9am) India vs Canada(5/6)
8pm (3.30pm) Scotland vs Wales (7/8)

Tuesday October 12 – men (UK times in brackets)

Semis
11am (6.30am) Australia vs New Zealand
5.30pm (1pm) India vs England

Playoffs

England 1 New Zealand 4

England's women must now beat Malaysia on Saturday to guarantee a semi-final place after crashing to the Blacksticks in Delhi.
England's morning started well and they took the lead through Ashleigh Ball’s first international goal. But they were rocked by two Kiwi goals before half time (Samantha Harrison – pictured – and Katie Glynn). And then conceded two more goals (both to Glynn) with Helen Richardson on the yellow-card naughty step.
England Head Coach Danny Kerry said New Zealand were worthy winners.
“New Zealand were better than us everywhere and they deserved their win. The first two goals were very poor from our perspective; that’s not where we’re at. When we were short with a player off the pitch they got their goals. We had too many people off their game today.”

New Zealand 5 Wales 1
With a 20-place gap in the world rankings, the Commonwealth Games women's hockey tournament opener went pretty much as expected. But the 27th-ranked Welsh did well to hold the Kiwis in the first half and even bagged an equaliser just before the break.
The Blacksticks, battle hardened by their 2010 Champions Trophy and World Cup campaigns, went on to dominate the second half, however, adding four goals against a Welsh side who struggled to maintain any sort of consistent possession.
The bright spots for Wales were some excellent saves by Maggs Rees and Abigail Welsford's finish from a high bouncing ball late in the first half.
The Welsh women now have less than 24 hours to recover – they play fifth-ranked England at 8.30am tomorrow (4am UK time).

Commonwealth Games hockey starts on Monday October 4, with the Welsh and New Zealand women to play the tournament's opener. The game is scheduled for 10.30am Delhi time (6am UK). The other Home Nation in action on the first day is Scotland who play the hosts at 6pm (1.30pm UK time).
Wales face back-to-back games with a match against England on Tuesday at 8.30am (4am, UK). The men's action also begins on Tuesday.
For a full schedule click here.