Hockey: Clinical eye of Sakura impresses Rutledge

Ian Rutledge.

China, South Korea and Japan are significantly different in the way they play hockey, according to Canada women's coach, Ian Rutledge.

"Korea are more like China and Japan are unique," says Rutledge, an Australian who was Hockey New Zealand's first fulltime employee when he coached the Black Sticks women at the turn of the century.

World No19 Canada face Rio Olympic-bound China in the annual Hawke's Bay Cup quarterfinals today.

"Japan are more fast paced, much shorter [passing] game whereas China and Korea are longer but all three are highly skilled," he says after Canada's 2-1 upset victory over Korea on Saturday.

"I've been impressed with Japan who play a shorter, crisper game and are a lot more aggressive in the circle," he says of the world No5 side known as Sakura who beat them 6-2.

"I thought we obviously played reasonably well against the Koreans but obviously only well in patches against Japan," he says, lauding the Sakura's clinical approach to swoop on errors.

However, with the Asian sides having a propensity to employ Korean coaches Rutledge says it sometimes feels like playing the same side twice over.

For the record, Canada only played China last year in a FIH World League 3 match losing 2-0.

"Our focus is on how well we play but we're aware of China's strengths and weaknesses."

The 43-year-old from Orange, NSW, says the result will be secondary to the best Canada can be.

The beauty of the Bay tournament , he believes, is in having the incentive to advance after the quarter-finals regardless of whether they win or not.

"It's a big part of why we're here and that is to grow in the world game."

Rutledge says Canada are making solid progress in the knowledge of their game.