The Zambia Polocrosse Association has announced an initial squad of 10 players for the 3 test matches against the USA scheduled for the 20th/21st/22nd July 2012 at the Leopards Hill Polocrosse Club in Lusaka, Zambia. They have called up Murray Evans, Victoria Sharp, Lauren Watson and James Rae who were all in their World Cup squad and then have named another six players, a number of who featured in the recent Zambian squads for the ZimZam, including the ever popular Richard Chapple!

MEN

Murray Evans
Richard Chapple
Philip Chalcraft
James Rae
Syen Entjes

LADIES

Lauren Watson
Victoria Sharp
Carla Nel
Candice Michelson
Samantha Tett

The final team of 8 will be announced on the 18th July. There is no news yet on the the USA squad though with under a month to go it should have been decided upon. The USA versus Zambia is a very tantalising prospect. The two countries never met at the World Cup in 2011 and though on paper the USA should be the stronger (the USA finished fourth and Zambia finished eighth at the last World Cup) will be interesting to see how they cope in Africa, where the horses and the conditions will be far more familar to the Zambians, who just showed in the ZimZam against some of the best players in the world that they continue to improve with every match.

These are the conditions and the horses that the USA and the rest of the world have to get used to in time for the World Cup in South Africa in 2015, hence the UK and the USA are both heading to African countries this year and next year on outbound tours as part of their preparations.