Australia wins inaugural Trans-Tasman hockey Trophy

Despite suffering both suffering defeats on the final day of the three-day competition, the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras have combined to help Australia claim the inaugural Trans-Tasman Trophy.

The Trans-Tasman Trophy saw Hockey Australia and Hockey New Zealand partner up to host the event, with the first taking place this year at the Lloyd Elsmore Hockey Stadium in Auckland. The tournament will alter between Auckland and Canberra, with Canberra hosting in 2017 and 2019.

The teams will be fighting for a combined trophy with the results from all six matches deciding whether Australia or New Zealand will own the crown of Trans-Tasman champions.

In the final day’s action, with NSWIS players Ben Craig, Matthew Dawson, Flynn Ogilvie and Matthew Willis on the pitch, the Kookaburras went down 2-1 – the first time the Black Sticks had beaten Australia on home soil in almost 50 years.

In the third and final women’s game the Hockeyroos fought back from an early two goal deficit but could not do enough to get the win, falling 3-2.

There were three NSWIS players in action – Georgina Morgan (pictured above), Murphy Allendorf and Mathilda Carmichael with Morgan getting Australia onto the board with their first goal via a slick drag flick on a penalty corner flying straight into the top of the net.

The Hockeyroos and Kookaburras will now head to Melbourne to take part in the International Festival of Hockey beginning on Wednesday.