Tom de Bruin (in green)
escapes from England’s Tom Morley (left) and Mark
Tomlinson. Inset (l-r): Richard Le Poer, Mark Tomlinson,
Tom Morley and Chris Hyde with Audi’s Jon Zammett
to most of them. England played pre-test practices at Barton Lodge and Coworth Park. The “visitors” – all of whom play professionally in the UK – were Derreck Bratley (Alan Kent’s manager), young star Nachi du Plessis, Gareth Evans and Tom de Bruin. Bratley said: “The other three boys have played together a fair bit, but we didn’t have time for practices with all four of us [as we’re all so busy].”
Hine said: “Our priority was Du Plessis, as he’s their key player: Mark concentrated on marking him. For Richard, in his first game, his aim was to play a four-man role, and he did a lot off the ball as well as receiving passes.” Neither side began as underdogs, according to Hine: “We thought it was an even-stevens situation – we knew our opponents, and knew they were well mounted.” The game started scrappily, beset by nerves and penalties, with tight marking and quick runs.
By mid-way through the second chukka it was 3-3, then after two perfect penalties from Tom Morley and a field goal the home team secured a three-goal lead. The South Africans made headway in the fourth: the quick-thinking Gareth Evans stole two lovely field goals in succession to make it 7-6 to England at half-time. There was extra enthusiasm for treading-in thanks to The Mileage Company, which had hidden a champagne stopper in a divot: the finder won 10,000 Air Miles (see news, page 8).
After half-time Hyde – who was later named MVP – put in the field goal of the match, an angled shot from 80 yards out, but South Africa stayed in touch, a nearside goal from Bratley making up for a missed penalty from du Plessis. Morley scored a scorcher in the fifth to make it 10-8 before making his only botched 60, from a less penalty-friendly pony than his others: Hyde took the next, putting in a 40 at a walk. Two down going into the sixth, South Africa redoubled their efforts. Bratley said
X
www.polotimes.co.uk July 2010 35
Photographs by Tony Ramirez & Neil Egerton/
www.imagesofpolo.com
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