This weekend was my first taste of a polo comp NZ style. I was playing for Auckland in the North Island friendly competition held in Taupo. Taupo is freezing. It was proper winter down there (middle of the North Island) not the psuedo winter Auckland gets. I was glad that the comp was being held indoors. The comp was also an opportunity to test out my new (2nd hand) polo boat in anger. I am now the proud owner of a Vampire 2001 in black. Needs a little tlc, but nowhere near as much as my last polo boat.
So the polo then. Well i didn't get to play that much. My teams 3rd game in on saturday I, well actually the opposition managed to dislocate my right ring finger. Ouch - it smarted somewhat! Apparently paddle fouls don't exist in NZ. Well thats what it seems anyway. Interestingly, you are also allowed to push people onto other boats. Now i am not an expert in the rules (as my record of getting crads will justify), but i am pretty sure you are not allowed to push people onto boats (can someone clarify this for me please - Elan? Ceri?). In the NZ rules however it states that being pushed onto the deck of an opponent is considered a legal tackle and should not be penalised. Well fair enough i guess, as it is not that dangerous - IF it is only onto the deck. But players seem to read this as 'you can bin people onto or into any part of the boat'. And the refs just seem to let it happen. I saw several nasty instances that could have caused bad injury, yet the ref seemed to be perfectly happy. I guess i will just have to get used to it. Anyway, on with the comp.
The team played really well and only narrowly lost a few games. We ahould have won more - but going 3-0 up at half time and then losing 4-5 is not acceptable. We paid for many a result like this by bringing up the rear in the standings. Ah well. It was a good laugh - while it lasted for me anyway.
So the polo then. Well i didn't get to play that much. My teams 3rd game in on saturday I, well actually the opposition managed to dislocate my right ring finger. Ouch - it smarted somewhat! Apparently paddle fouls don't exist in NZ. Well thats what it seems anyway. Interestingly, you are also allowed to push people onto other boats. Now i am not an expert in the rules (as my record of getting crads will justify), but i am pretty sure you are not allowed to push people onto boats (can someone clarify this for me please - Elan? Ceri?). In the NZ rules however it states that being pushed onto the deck of an opponent is considered a legal tackle and should not be penalised. Well fair enough i guess, as it is not that dangerous - IF it is only onto the deck. But players seem to read this as 'you can bin people onto or into any part of the boat'. And the refs just seem to let it happen. I saw several nasty instances that could have caused bad injury, yet the ref seemed to be perfectly happy. I guess i will just have to get used to it. Anyway, on with the comp.
The team played really well and only narrowly lost a few games. We ahould have won more - but going 3-0 up at half time and then losing 4-5 is not acceptable. We paid for many a result like this by bringing up the rear in the standings. Ah well. It was a good laugh - while it lasted for me anyway.
A variation of the Hoonerburger - an inverted 4G negative dive Hoonerburger perhaps?
2 comments:
Kayak water polo?
that rocks!
polo camp? that sounds like a good time, how fun!
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