Australia have emerged victorious in the Quadrangular tournament hosted by New Zealand, despite the best efforts of the host nation who pushed them hard in the final but in the end just couldn’t quite match the Australians. New Zealand got the first goal and kept it very close for the first few chukkas, they even got ahead 6-5 at the end of the second and were down just 8-7 at the end of the third. However, after that the green and gold machine crept out to a three goal lead, then a four goal lead, then a five goal lead and finally claimed the title buy 25 goals to 19.

New Zealand will be disappointed to have lost at home but they did make the final a very close and thrilling match and perhaps can take some comfort from the fact that the scoreline from the final was a lot closer than the scoreline in the group stages.

Earlier in the day, the Zambian Barbarians defeated the Irish Cavaliers in another very hard fought match. The Barbarians lead early on but the Cavaliers did get ahead in the fifth chukka and though the Barbarians crept back ahead it was only 20-18 in their favour at the end of the seventh. However, they held on to that lead, scored a few more goals and managed to secure the win by 24 goals to 20. The Zambian side will be delighted to have overturned the defeat they suffered to the Irish in the group stages and also secure a win in the competition. The Irish will be disappointed to have finished fourth but both sides can hold their heads high having battled with far more experienced opponents from the two Australasian nations.

Australia’s victory is a signal of their intent to try once again to dominate international polocrosse after their disappointment at the 2011 World Cup. Now eyes turn to the July Quadrangular hosted by South Africa, where the hosts, and current world champions, will try and maintain their unbeaten form against Zimbabwe, Zambia and the United Kingdom.