England and Commonwealth Line-ups Revealed
The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) has announced the two team line-ups that will take to The Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club on 23 July to compete for the Royal Salute Coronation Cup. James Beim will once again be the man in charge, captaining the home nation for the second year running. Joining Beim on the field will be none other than Max Charlton, who we watched make his Coronation Cup debut last year, when he also received the Garrard Most Valuable Player Award – not a bad feat for his first Coronation Cup appearance. James Harper, an extremely experienced player and regular teammate of Beim, and Jack Richardson, who at just 24 years of age will be the youngest player on the field, will fill the other two positions in the team. Both Harper and Richardson will be making their Coronation Cup debuts. It has also been confirmed that former 10 goal player Ruso Heguy will be coaching the home side. Heguy said of the team formation, “This is a very different team from last year, but both Beim and Harper have been playing together this summer and I know them well. Charlton and Richardson have the potential to be very dangerous in the attack and my task in the short time available before the Coronation Cup is to get them all to fit together as a team.”
England’s 2016 Coronation Cup opposition is none other than The Commonwealth, in honour of HM The Queen’s 90th birthday. The GT Bank-sponsored Commonwealth side will be led by Canadian Freddie Mannix, who at 8 goals will be the highest handicapped player on the field. Mannix will be joined by Kiwi John Paul Clarkin, South African Chris Mackenzie and Pakistani Hissam Ali Hyder.
The HPA also announced that after the Coronation Cup contest will be a second International match between Ireland and Young England, with Young England being Captained by Ollie Cudmore.
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Photograph: Action in front of the Royal Box in the 2015 Royal Salute Coronation Cup. By © www.imagesofpolo.com
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