Polocrosse World Cup finals are invariably a bit of a disappointment. The closest previous matches had been between South Africa and Zambia in 2015, which resulted in a 9 goal victory for South Africa after remaining close for the first four chukkas. The same was true in 2011 when South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 11 goals. Australia’s three World Cup victories in 2003, 2007 and 2019 saw them fairly comprehensively demolish New Zealand, the United Kingdom and South Africa on their home turf in Warwick, Queensland. However, this time was expected to be different between the two great rivals of Australia and South Africa and so it turned out. Australia did not have home advantage, the horses did not feature many of their beloved stock horses but were predominantly thoroughbreds, not that the horse pools were really any weaker for that. Unlike in 2015 though, Australia did not have a team that could not really play to the strengths of these horses, they were quite happy going flat out and throwing goals from all angles after they were well beaten by South Africa in the semi finals nine years before.

Before the World Cup views were fairly split as to which of these two teams were stronger and even during the pool stages it had been hard to see. Australia had looked very strong and had not really struggled in their group matches. South Africa had started slower but in each match they had pulled it out at the end and shown just what they were capable of. Both horse pools looked very strong and given how fiercely the rivalry between these two countries burns it was always going to be an exciting match.

However, before the match even started there was controversy. Australia’s best men’s horse Cigarette was vetted out. There was no official report as to why (editor’s note: there never is in polocrosse, that would spoil the fun of the rumour mill) but the story that quickly circulated was that they had lost a shoe and when it was being reshod the farrier injured the hoof, causing lameness. An unfortunate incident at the best of times but it was made worse by the fact that Cigarette belonged to South African team member Stefan Harris and apparently there had been an insistence that their own farrier was allowed to reshoe the horse, alledging being flown from Johannesburg to do so. Whether that is correct or not was never officially corrobarated but the fact it could be true certainly left a fairly bad taste in the mouth of the Australia team and their supporters, who were quick to spread rumours that this was a deliberate ploy to take out their best horse. There were even suggestions that the shoe had been pulled off intentionally to allow this to happen. There was nothing that could be changed for the World Cup final itsef but it will undoubtedly mean that the International Polocrosse Council need to look at control over horse pools (where they had been various rumours of inconsistent treatment of different teams by horse pool cooridnators) and incidents like this for the next World Cup.

However, with or without Cigarette, the final would happen and Australia were determined to break their jinx of not being able to win a World Cup outside of their own country. They started with a devasting first chukka from their ladies section. Lucy Grills was on fire out the back and Lindsay Doolan fired goals through the posts, including a big overarm to start off the match, perhaps laying down a statement to the South Africa team. Sam Allen was also very effective in the number 2 shirt for Australia, trapping the South African number 3 Olivia King at points to make Doolan’s job easier. At the end of chukka 1 it was 6-1 to Australia and there was perhaps a moment that the crowd wondered whether they were about to see South Africa demolished on their own ground.

The first men’s chukka did not change the scoreline gap much, ending in a 4 all draw to make the overall scoreline 10-5, but it did change the atmosphere. The men were definitely all fired up and they were generating a lot of work for the umpires, with fouls in the line ups, late ride offs and cutting across the line of the ball. South Africa were the worst offenders in this chukka but Australia would go on to commit their own share of fouls during the match. There has been constant grumbling about the umpiring at the World Cup, not least about line ups and how best to make sure all the players line up legally, but ultimately it is up to the players to know the rules and play cleanly. In the final the umpires seemed to fairly consistently penalise both teams, though each countries fans would claim they were hard done by at points. In between the fouls though there was some very impressive polocrosse from both teams with von Benecke and Grills trading goals at the front and Steenkamp and Davison trading pick ups out the back, while Harris and O’Neil scarpped away in the middle as all good number twos should.

Chukka three saw the ladies return and South African had made a change up front, pushing Jacquie Minnaar back to the number 2 shirt and bringing on Lauren Heynes at number 1. However the score gap remained the same at the end of the chukka as the chukk ended in a draw to make the overall scoreline 13-8. Lucy Grills continued to particulary impress in the Australia number 3 shirt, at one point stealing a bounce from under the nose of Lauren Heynes.

Chukka four was another fairly firey chukka between the two men’s sections and you really didn’t envy the umpires. Australia were penalised more this time, once for a ride off and also for a Matt Davison down hit in the line up. Both teams switched their number 2’s, with Corey Buys coming in for Australia and Josh Le Roux for South Africa. No one could say Corey Buys wasn’t giving it his all, he nearly came off twice reaching for a pick off and in a ride off with Von Benecke. By the end of the chukka South Africa have bought it back to just be one goal behind with a scoreline reading 15-14 with Von Benecke firing through goals and Steenkamp winning ball out the back.

Chukka five saw some amazing play by the ladies from both teams. Minnaar was back in the number 1 shirt for South Africa and she levelled the scores with the first goal of the chukka. Olivia King was starting to win more ball in South Africa number 3 shirt to set up some goals, though Lucy Grills was still pulling in some amazing pick ups and the teams ended the chukka at 18 all.

Chukka six saw the men renew their battle and they continued to score at an impressive rate. Australia got a couple of quick goals at the start of the chukka and stayed ahead for most of the chukka but South Africa brought it back at the end and got ahead 22-21, with some good von Benecke goals and a free goal for a dangerous ride off. However, a free goal for Australia for a tackle from too far back straight out of the next line up levelled it up at 22 just before the chukka ended. Von Benecke was playing very well up front for South Africa, missing absolutely nothing. Jimmy Grills was also very good but did miss one shot at goal and another chance went begging when him and Matt Davison couldn’t link up. We suspect he would have loved to have Cigarette. Instead he was mounted up on a young pony called Maybe Mine, that was trying its heart out for him but it was a much less experienced pony and showed at points.

Chukka seven saw the ladies keep things very close but South Africa just managed to creep ahead at the end to lead 25-24. Olivia King was doing great work, winning ball out the back and holding up Lindsay Doolan in the area for a long time on one occasion. Jacquie Minnaar did some good ball carrying in midfield, with Lauren Heynes back at number 1 to finish off the goals, despite the best efforts of Lucy Grills.

All of that set up an absolutely gripping last chukka. South Africa got further ahead but Australia brought it back after Chad Von Benecke missed a shot at goal and Australia capitalised at the other end. Australia then lead by 2 goals, after South Africa conceded a foul to give away one and then Chad von Benecke missed a bounce and the chance to level it up. Matt Davison won the ball back and Jimmy Grills pulled in an backwards pick up absolutely flat out as the pass from Matt Davison over shot him. However, South Africa were not done, they won more ball and got back two quick goals to level it up. Von Benecke grabbed ball from the line up and headed down field to slot the winning goal. There was barely time for one more line up before the hooter sounded and South Africa clinched their third world cup by 29-28.

We expected it to be a close final and so it proved. We are not sure when we might see another match like that; 57 goals in the match is pretty impressive and these two teams were head and shoulders really above the other 6 nations at the the event. The only black mark against the final really was the number of fouls and dagerous ride offs in the men’s sections, which were pretty heated. That was possibly not helped by the Cigarette situation. Cigarette was still awarded best horse in the Australia horse pool and, as he accepted the prize, Jimmy Grills, in a deadpan voice, made the slightly pointed comment that he was “sure that Cigarette was a world cup winning horse and it was a real shame they didn’t have it today”. However, ultimately Australia still had the chance to win it in the last chukka, they lead by two goals and all credit must go to South Africa for pulling it back, not only in the last chukka but at a number of points in the match.

So South Africa have won their third World Cup and levelled up their record with Australia’s own. Now we just have to wait to the next World Cup to see if either can get back ahead or whether we will finally have a different name on the trophy.