HACKETT RUNDLE CUP DAY

The Army took revenge over their defeat at the hands of the Royal Navy in last year's Hackett Rundle Cup when the two sides squared up again this year at Tidworth Polo Club.

Bolstered by the presence of Prince Harry, the Army had been well drilled by their coach Gaston Devrient and stuck to their game plan.

Under handicap rules, the Royal Navy started the match two goals to the good and the Army set about wiping out that advantage as quickly as possible to relieve the pressure early on.

Tactics also involved closing down the RN's Hiro Suzuki who, as the match progressed, became increasingly frustrated that he was unable to break through the tight Army marking.

Despite some heavy pressure in the second chukka from the cup holders, it was the Army who went on to increase their lead by a further two goals in the third chukka.

By the fourth chukkha, the 9-4 result meant a fine win for the Army and a great endorsement of their team tactics and coaching.

Earlier in the afternoon the crowds watched the CSPA battle it out with the Eastern Circuit United States Polo Association for the ICOA Troph, sponsored by DRS Technologies.

This was the second match in the three-game Chapple Cup series with the CSPA having a comfortable victory in the first round tie at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst two days earlier.

This match proved a little closer however, with Juan Salinas-Bentley providing some power at 3. But the combined strengths of ffrench-Blake and Doug White were still too great and the CSPA continued to make steady progress.

Despite rather frantic efforts by Carlos Gracida to blunt the attacks in the third chukka, Doug White produced another fine run and goal to put the match beyond doubt at 6-4.

The victory ensured, even with one game still to play, that it would the CSPA name on the Chapple Cup for 2011.