Shongweni gets ready to host Polocrosse World Champs

The Polocrosse World Cup official opening ceremony will commence on 2 July with the first round pool games starting on 3 July; semi-finals and finals will be taking place from 10 to 12 July at the Durban Shongweni Club.

Teams will be arriving from the United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Zambia and Zimbabwe, along with the South African team, which will be looking to defend their prestigious title of world champions.

The Protea polocrosse side consists of Jean Hackland (Bishopstowe, KZN), Celicia Jacobs (Delmas, Mpumalanga), Cayley Higgs (Richmond, KZN), Natalie MacLarty (Elandslaagte, KZN and Pretoria), Gavin Cocker (Cato Ridge, KZN), Jan-Albert Steenkamp (Wellington, Western Cape), Graham MacLarty (Elandslaagte, KZN) and Travis Timm (Mooi River, KZN).

The six reserves for the Protea team are Tembi Madonsela (Greytown), Dawnay Jacobs (Mpumalanga), Leigh Higgs (Richmond), Patrick Nkhosi (Bethel), 2014 SA Player of the Year, Andrew Heynes (PMB, Bishopstowe) and Nico Van Wyk (Mpumalanga).

Coach of the Protea polocrosse team, Bruce MacLarty, is an experienced and passionate mentor who has supported and challenged his players to reach the international level that they play at now. Other key members are team manager, Helene Steenkamp, sports psychologist, Kirsten van Heerden, and Dr Sherylle Calder, the visual skills coach.

South Africa proved themselves in 2011 by earning the Polocrosse World Cup title after beating Zimbabwe in the final, held in England.

The international players have attracted an estimated 600 foreign visitors and the tournament organisers are anticipating 10 000 supporters to fill the venue.

The teams will consist of eight players a side, on horseback. The game is a fusion of the classic polo sport and lacrosse. Each player has a fibreglass cane with a racquet-headed, loose net attached to the end to carry the sponge ball; the aim is to get the ball through the opposing team’s goal.

The eight international teams will be split into two pools according to their world rankings. The South African polocrosse team finds itself at number one in the world, with Zimbabwe close behind in second place. Australia is in third spot, followed by USA, New Zealand, England, Ireland and Zambia.

The pools are split as follows: pool A includes South Africa, USA, New Zealand and Zambia; and pool B Zimbabwe, Australia, England and Ireland. The teams will compete within each pool, with the top-scoring teams from each advancing to the semi-finals.

DAY 1: Friday, 3 July

9am – New Zealand vs USA

10.30am – Australia vs UK

12pm – Zimbabwe vs Ireland

2pm – South Africa vs Zambia

DAY 2: Saturday, 4 July

9am – Australia vs Ireland

10.30am – USA vs Zambia

12pm – Zimbabwe vs England

2pm – South Africa vs New Zealand

DAY 3: Sunday, 5 July

9am – Zambia vs New Zealand

10.30am – Ireland vs United Kingdom

12pm – Australia vs Zimbabwe

2pm – South Africa vs USA

DAY 4 Friday, 10 July

9am – Fourth pool 1 vs third pool 2

10.30am – Third pool 1 vs fouth pool 2

12pm – Second pool 1 vs first pool 2

2pm – First pool 1 vs second pool 2

DAY 5 Saturday, 11 July

10am – Play for seventh and eighth place

2pm – Play for fifth and sixth place

DAY 6 Sunday, 12 July

10am – Play for third and fouth place

2pm – Finals

Visit www.polocrosse.co.za for VIP tickets. General admission tickets can be purchased on the day at a cost of R20 per person, entrance for children under the age of 12 is free.

Stand a chance to win a magnificent filly, progeny from an Australian stock horse stallion, which was imported into South Africa and bred with thoroughbred mares from good racing and sporting lines. This should insure a top-quality sporting horse. Tickets for the lucky draw are R100 each and can be purchased from the PASA secretary, Ashleigh Shaw, at pasa@futurenet.co.za.

The draw will take place on 12 July after the Polocrosse World Cup 2015 final.