Polocrosse World Cup 2015 Underway at the Durban Shongweni Club

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Attention

02 July 2015

The 2015 Polocrosse World Cup opening ceremony was held on Thursday 2 July at the Durban Shongweni Club. The tournament starts on Friday 3 July until Sunday 5 July; thereafter the action resumes from 10 to 12 July with the semifinals and finals.

Hosts and defending World Cup champions, South Africa, welcomed the world’s top seven teams from the United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

A moving ceremony was held with national anthems and team introductions. Guest speakers included Wessel Strauss (President: International Polocrosse Confederation), Andre Truter (President: Polocrosse Association of South Africa) and Prem Vayapuri (Director: KZN Department of Sport and Recreation). Well-known farmer and preacher Angus Buchan delivered the event blessing.

An exciting development game ensued between The Polocrosse Association of South Africa (PASA) team led by Pat Nkhosi (Bethal) and the Presidents team captained by Thembi Madonsela (Greytown, KZN).

The first chukkas were close and until the PASA team got the upper hand in the penultimate chukka to win 10 goals to 7 ahead of the Presidents Team.

The Presidents Team had a total handicap of 16, consisting of section A; Sifiso Ntamane (Manderstone, KZN), coach Eric Khun (Killarney Isles, KZN) and Captain Thembi Madonsela (Greytown, KZN) and section B; Lauren Khun (Killarney Isles, KZN), Christine Dickenson (Shongweni, KZN) and Alex Zulu (Ballito, KZN).

The PASA team competed with a total handicap of 16 as well, which included section A; Captain Patrick Nkosi (Ermelo, Mpumalanga), coach Glyn Redgrave (Shongweni, KZN) and Action Zililo (Thornville, KZN). Section B included Ashley Hunter-Smith (Camperdown, KZN), Bernice Bentley (Thornville, KZN) and Sheryl James (Louis Trichardt, Limpopo).

The Development games are an ongoing initiative that was started by the Polocrosse Association of South Africa (PASA). PASA will continue supporting the initiative and aim to reach many more undiscovered athletes.

On Friday, July 3, the World Cup action will kick off from 09h00 and continue all day; the final game between South Africa and Zambia takes place at 14h00.

The Protea polocrosse side consists of eight celebrated sportsmen and sportswomen; 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).

There will be six reserves for the Protea team, they include; 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).

Key members of the Protea side include the Coach Bruce MacLarty (Biggarsberg, KZN, Team Manager Helene Steenkamp, Sports Psychologist Kirsten van Heerden and Dr Sherylle Calder the visual skills coach.

The eight international teams will be split into two pools according to their world ranking. The South African polocrosse team finds itself at number one in the world with Zimbabwe close behind in 2nd place. The rest of the countries are placed as follows; Australia in 3rd, then following USA, New Zealand, England, Ireland and Zambia coming in at 8th in the world rankings.

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

The six key tournament days will feature the following:

DAY 1 Friday 3rd July

09h00 New Zealand vs USA

10h30 Australia vs UK

12h00 Zimbabwe vs Ireland

14h00 South Africa vs Zambia

DAY 2 Saturday 4th July

09h00 Australia vs Ireland

10h30 USA vs Zambia

12h00 Zimbabwe vs England

14h00 South Africa vs New Zealand

DAY 3 Sunday 5th July

09h00 Zambia vs New Zealand

10h30 Ireland vs United Kingdom

12h00 Australia vs Zimbabwe

14h00 South Africa vs USA

DAY 4 Friday 10th July

09h00 Fourth Pool 1 vs Third Pool 2

10h30 Third Pool 1 vs Fouth Pool 2

12h00 Second Pool 1 vs First Pool 2

14h00 First Pool 1 vs Second Pool 2

DAY 5 Saturday 11th July

10h00 Play for 7th and 8th place

14h00 Play for 5th and 6th place

DAY 6 Sunday 12th July

10h00 Play for 3rd and 4th place

14h00 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. Members of the public are encouraged to support PASA’s efforts by purchasing a lucky draw ticket. 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 a R100 each and can be purchased from the PASA secretary, Ashleigh Shaw at pasa@futurenet.co.za. There is a guaranteed buy-back of the filly for R50,000 should the winner prefer that and second prize is a R5,000 Pick n Pay voucher. Draw will take place on 12 July after the Polocrosse World Cup 2015 final.

For more information and to follow the event, visit the official Facebook page – Polocrosse World Cup South Africa and the Twitter page – @PolocrosseSA, the official event hashtag is #PolocrosseWorldCup2015.

ENDS/
Please see below for images, high resolution are available on request.

Please ensure that the photographer: Shannon Gilson is credited. Images are complimentary for media use, provided the correct photo credit is used.