The 2024 Ignition Group Polocrosse World Cup concluded in spectacular fashion with South Africa emerging as the champions in a heart-stopping final against reigning champions, Australia. The event, held from 17 to 28 July at the Durban Shongweni Club in Westown, showcased the very best of polocrosse talent from around the world.
In one of the most closely contested finals in the history of the Polocrosse World Cup, South Africa edged out Australia with a final score of 29-28. The match kept spectators on the edge of their seats as South Africa, initially trailing by five goals at the end of the first chukka, made an incredible comeback. With each chukka, the gap narrowed, culminating in a nail-biting finish where South Africa scored the winning goal in the final seconds.
Chad von Beneke, the Man of the Match, praised his team’s resilience: “It was a tight game all the way through, but our team pulled through in the end. We started a couple of goals down and Australia came out firing, but it was an unbelievable performance by the South African team. We can’t thank South Africa enough for the support!”
Sean Bergsma, Group CEO of Ignition Group, expressed his pride in the event and the South African team: “This event was about bringing people together, building new connections and fostering new friendships. It was inspiring to watch not only the players but also the local communities and visitors from around the world come together to celebrate our wonderful country. To Team South Africa, you did an amazing job!”
Dr Manfred Rohwer, President of The Polocrosse Association of South Africa, also praised the team and the event’s organisers: “Thank you very much to the SA team for pulling it off, to the South African supporters for coming out and to all of the organisers over the last year. This has been a fantastic achievement.”
The tournament featured world-class polocrosse action in a round-robin format followed by the knockout stages, and was supported by exciting activities for visitors, including handcrafted goods stalls, live entertainment and live broadcasts by East Coast Radio. The South African Development side also showcased their skills against a Rest of the World Barbarian side.
2024 Ignition Group Polocrosse World Cup Rankings:
- South Africa
- Australia
- Zambia
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Zimbabwe
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
