Testing Time

England fail the tests

With sponsorship and a new structure in place, expectation was riding high – but the national team struggled to find its form early in the 2005 season

Above left: Argentine Ambassador Federico Mirré presents Argentine Club Cup to Australia’s Glen Gilmore after his team beat England.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and, likewise, construction of a winning England team apparently takes time. Despite welcome new corporate funding from Audi for coaching and training, England’s performances in all-pro, high-goal appearances at home this season were less than the fans had hoped for.

Expectations were high back in April, when the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) announced new test matches for 2005 and a three-year contract for Audi sponsorship of the team. But glory eluded the England side. In their fi rst international encounters, they lost to Argentina and twice to Australia. At press time only the September test against South Africa at Cowdray Park remained as a chance for England to show their worth.

Nonetheless, more appearances, win or lose, meant that the team and all its players were enjoying a higher profi le than ever before. ey were seen in action against Australia at the HPA’s fl agship Cartier International at Guards Polo Club; against Australia (playing as Elysian) at Beaufort; the Evolution test against Argentina (playing as Buenos Aires) at Beaufort; and in the British Polo Championships at Coworth Park, when not one but two England teams took the fi eld.

Argentina showed why they are regarded as the strongest polo nation in the world at Beaufort Polo Club when Buenos Aires defeated England 9 goals to 7½ in the Evolution test match. The mighty Tommy Garcia del Rio didn’t put a foot wrong, converting every penalty opportunity afforded by the English. However, England worked well as a team and are clearly benefiting from playing together more regularly. The game was closely fought with the lead changing several times. In front of a crowd of some 3,000 spectators – who braved cold and damp conditions – England entered the last of five chukkas just half a goal down but despite breath-taking runs by Malcolm Borwick and the captain, Henry Brett, they failed to grasp victory. Buenos Aires showed greater resolve and experience to pull ahead and ultimately win the match. The Evolution test match moves to Cirencester Park next year.

The solid performance by the English team followed a less assured display the previous weekend in the final of the Argentine Club Cup, also held at Beaufort.

The final of the 7th All England Club Championships for the Argentine Club Cup was the centre piece of the Calcot Manor Hotel Country Fair, held over two days in

Buenos Aires’s Pepe Araya outpaces England’s Henry Brett in home team’s test match defeat.

June. The fair, a major family event, was in aid of the Countryside Foundation for Education. Visitors were treated to some beautiful weather as well as some high-class polo.

The England squad started off well, only trailing Elysian by a goal at the end of the first chukka. During the second chukka things started to go wrong and with Gilmore on fire they were 11-3 behind at half-time.

England came back fighting with two

spectacular goals by Mark Tomlinson in the opening minutes of the fourth chukka. Going into the fifth and final chukka, England had it all to do with the score standing at 11-6 in favour of Elysian. Despite England scoring another two goals, Elysian’s lead was just too great, especially after Rob Archibald scored their 12th goal, ensuring a comfortable 12-8 victory by full-time. AD ■