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Viking Polo on Tour – Essen 4’s On 14 March 2008 the Viking ‘A’ undertook the lengthy drive to Essen in Germany for the Essen 4’s. The Essen 4’s is a tournament where teams play4-a-side, rather than the usual 5, on pitches slightly shorter than normal. It’s like rugby 7’s although the analogy doesn’t stretch too far.
The problems adjusting to a different form of the game showed in the first match against NW Berlin with Viking on the wrong end of a 9-7 score line. From then on however, years of training at end-to-end polo in short pools began to pay dividends. Wins against Michel de Ruyter of the Netherlands and Liblar of Germany meant that another win in their final group game would put Viking through to the next stage. Viking showed good composure against the German side Meidericher to secure that win and survive the ‘group of death’ (so called because it featured 3 of the top 4 teams in Germany).
In the next stage Viking played two Dutch teams, Deventer and Oddyseus. Viking lost against Deventer late on Saturday night, but beating Oddyseus on Sunday morning was enough to book a semi-final place.
The semi-final opponents were Deventer again. As in their last two meetings, in the previous round and in the final of the Odense Open, Viking fought to match the Dutch physically and deny them possession. With a 4-2 lead deep into the first half that approach was working but the score was level by half time with Deventer eventually coming out on top.
In the playoff for 3rd place there was an opportunity for revenge against NW Berlin and it was duly taken. Viking showed how well they had adapted with a comprehensive 7-1 victory. In the final Deventer beat another German side, Goettigen.
Viking left disappointed not to have graced the final but even a puncture on the slip road of the autobahn could not dampen the sense that the team had assembled in Essen to play some excellent polo against decent opposition. (Posted on the 5th Apr 2008 by timb) |
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