The Hockeyroos opened their World Cup defence with what coach David Bell rates as their best start to a tournament in 12 months.

A first half blitz set up the convincing 4-0 win over the USA in their pool B match at Perth Hockey Stadium.

Forwards Julie Towers and Nikki Hudson tormented the Americans early on as the match threatened to turn into a rout with the home team rattling up all four goals by the 26-minute mark.

Defenders Louise Dobson and Angie Skirving also had strong games while pint-sized midfielder Melanie Twitt was her usual tireless self.

And despite a noticeable drop-off in intensity in the second half, Bell was pleased with the first-up outing as Australia maintained its traditional dominance over the Americans.

"We played differently in the two halves, overall very pleased if you had offered me 4-0 at the start of the game I would have taken it," he said.

The comfortable advantage allowed Bell to use all of his players in the second half.

"In the last 12 months that is certainly our best start to a tournament," Bell said of the opening term.

Bell said he would look into why the team eased off in the second half ahead of Monday night's match against lowly-rated Spain.

After playing each other once, the top two teams from each eight-nation pool earn passage into the semi-finals of the 16-nation event.

"We didn't have as much buzz to us in the second half," Bell said.

Former Hockeyroo and now American coach Tracey Belbin agreed, delivering the Australians a mixed report despite the home team having 16 shots on goal to three.

"I thought they shot particularly well, they moved the ball pretty well, but I thought they were slack and that was the benefit to us in the second half," she said.

Towers asserted Australia's authority from the outset carving up the tourists on the right flank and setting up the first two goals within ten minutes of the opening whistle.

In just the third minute Towers found star striker Hudson who from close range smashed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner past American goalkeeper Margaret Storrar.

The home team pinned the visitors in their defensive half and Hudson should have added another in the seventh minute but blazed over the bar.

However just two minutes later Towers was again terrorising the opposition and her backstick shot rolled beyond Storrar for captain Katrina Powell to tap in for the second.

Midfielder Wendy Alcorn joined in the action with a spectacular goal, falling as she slotted Australia's third in the 17th minute.

Karen Smith ended the scoring in the 26th minute with a powerful shot off a rebound from a short corner.

Australia wasn't sharp after the break and American Carrie Lingo should have converted at least one of her two golden opportunities.

In other pool B matches England opened its campaign with a 3-1 win over Ireland while Japan and Spain had a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile 2002 Champions Trophy winners China made a slow start to the competition and had to settle for one point against Korea after a scoreless draw.

Five-time winners Netherlands however found some early form in a 3-0 win over South Africa while Germany downed Russia 4-0.

Tournament favourite Argentina suffered a potentially seriously blow with gun striker Vanina Oneto having x-rays on her hand.

The veteran who has scored 125 goals in international competition didn't return to the field after a ball crashed into her hand in the first half of her team's 1-0 win over New Zealand.

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