In a nail-biting finale, the South African Polocrosse team triumphed over reigning champions Australia to secure their third World Cup title at the 2024 Ignition Group Polocrosse World Cup.
The match, held at the Shongweni Club on Sunday, drew 5 000 home fans who cheered their team to victory.
The tournament, from July 17 to 28, culminated in a spectacular final clash between two polocrosse powerhouses. The South African team edged out Australia with a close 29-28 win, with the decisive goal scored in the final seconds of the game.
South African coach James Hackland, hailing from Pietermaritzburg, thanked the home crowd for their unwavering support.
“The home crowd was amazing, and we had no option but to win it,” said Hackland.
He said their victory was a result of sheer hard work and team effort.
Lauren Heynes, one of the team’s standout players and a local resident, echoed Hackland’s sentiments, noting the close-knit nature of the team, most of whom are from the City of Choice and have spent long hours training together. “I guess a good team effort did the trick for us,” said Heynes.
Man of the match, Chad von Beneke from Eston, remarked on the intensity of the game, stating, “It was a tight game all the way through, but our team pulled through in the end.”
Manfred Rohwer, president of the Polocrosse Association of South Africa, expressed his pride and gratitude. “Thank you very much to the South African team for pulling it off, to the South African supporters for coming out, and to all of the organisers over the last year. This has been a fantastic achievement. I’m so proud!”
