SOUTH AMERICA TOO QUICK FOR ENGLAND IN THE FOURTH ANNUAL ST. REGIS INTERNATIONAL CUP

SOUTH AMERICA TOO QUICK FOR ENGLAND IN THE FOURTH ANNUAL ST. REGIS INTERNATIONAL CUP – THE FIRST TEST MATCH OF THE SEASON

 

Over three thousand spectators watched the Audi England team take on a JaegerLe-Coultre South American side, featuring Nacho Figueras, a St. Regis Connoisseur and polo player, for the St Regis International – the first test match of the season – at Cowdray Park Polo Club in Midhurst, West Sussex. As the continent renowned for producing some of the world’s best polo players, South America will always produce a very strong side and Saturday (21 May 2011) was no exception.  “I don’t think there is any other country out there who can put a team together to play South America,” commentator Terry Hanlon informed the crowd.

                                                                                                          

Sadly both sides had lost their main men for the match. England Captain Luke Tomlinson was forced to pull out due to injury and Adolfo Cambiaso, the best polo player in the world, decided the risk of injury was too high and wanted to put The Queen’s Cup, a high goal tournament played here in the UK, first. Nevertheless, spectators were treated to a fast and competitive display of the sport.

 

Following their defeat against an Argentine team in the ‘Copa de las Naciones’ in April, the England boys were desperate to win one back, but the team from across the Atlantic proved just too good.

 

England started with a ½ goal handicap but it was the South Americans who immediately took control of the game with Facundo Sola opening the scoring and his team mate Jose Donoso following suit soon after. Within minutes they were up two goals to England’s half. However, a foul from the South Americans led to a penalty for the home side, which Malcolm Borwick, who was filling in for the injured Luke Tomlinson, converted with ease just before the bell rang to signify the end of the first chukka. With just a ½ goal difference in the score, England were very much still in the game.

 

Great team play between Mark Tomlinson and James Beim added another goal to the scoreboard for the English side but a penalty converted by Sola took the South American side ½ a goal ahead once again. Not wanting their opposition to get any further ahead, James Beim, who was appointed as Captain for the match, ran the ball down the length of the pitch, flicking it through the middle of the goal. Obviously encouraged by loud cheers from the home spectators, Satnam Dhillon, playing for the first time up front for the main England team, proved why he had been put in that number one England shirt, taking the ball straight out of the line-out and sending the ball from at least 80 yards out straight through the posts. However, once again, the South American youngster, Facundo Sola came back into the picture, adding two more goals to the board for the South Americans, giving them a half-time lead of 5 – 4 ½.

 

The last two chukkas, it has to be said, belonged predominantly to the South Americans. Donoso continued where Sola had left off, finding the posts once again for his side. All eyes were then on Mark Tomlinson and his pony Hestenel, who was later announced as the ROR Best Playing Pony (note 3), as they raced up the field, speeding past any opposing player to score. However, another penalty by Sola increased the South Americans lead, although moments later Malcolm closed the gap, converting for the England side. With just ½ a goal in it, the last chukka was all to play for – neither team could be sure who would hold the trophy.

 

Seven minutes before the end, both teams were desperately trying to get the ball down towards their respective goals. The first to succeed in the ambition was Donoso from Chile, who – on a very fast black pony – produced a very accurate nearside forehand shot, sending the ball exactly where he wanted to – straight through the centre of the posts. England produced shot after shot at goal but every time the South Americans were faultless in their defence and the home team could not add to the scoreboard; only Sola found the posts once again, cementing South America’s win seconds before the final whistle.

 

Following the game, Jose Donoso said, “The game was a lot of fun. It was the first time we had played together as a team but we connected right away. I think the difference was made by playing simple polo and using Eduardo’s (Novillo Astrada) experience to lead us through the game. On a personal note, I am normally more comfortable playing in the front but I had to play as back. It is great for me to play 28-goal polo, especially on the wonderful grounds at Cowdray Park. I wish we could do more of these games.”  Team-mate Nacho Figueras, who played position one, added “I was thrilled to be invited to kick off England’s International Series with The St. Regis International Cup – it was a great game – fast and long with very few whistles.  A real pleasure to play against the Audi England side.   St. Regis shares my passion and commitment to the traditions and heritage of the sport of polo and I am excited to continue bringing awareness and appreciation to such an iconic international sport.”

 

Despite not claiming the victory, England’s Mark Tomlinson still felt the team had worked well together and it was just bad luck that they were unable to lift the trophy at the end of it. “ It was a completely new look for England and it was always going to be hard to adapt. Having said that, the team played well on the whole and were unlucky in the end. Just when we got close in the last chukka, behind by half a goal and in with a sniff, we had a couple of debatable umpire calls which went against us and a really unlucky rebound off a horse into our goal!”

 

David Woodd, Chief Executive of the Hurlingham Polo Association said, “It was a busy week with the various changes in both teams and my thanks go to all the players for treating us all to some fast polo played on an excellent ground. The South American team were quicker and more accurate with the length of their passes. It was a great run-out for our players.”