SA PoloAfrica Excited Playing in Access/UNICEF Polo Tourney

SA Poloafrica has expressed delight at featuring at the 2016 Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament holding at the Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, Kaduna.

The team made up of David Lephatsi, Thabo Mofokeng, Anthony Mothijoa and Taota Ntoeleng – all of whom are underprivileged black boys from the poor rural areas of South Africa – were the only non-Nigerian team in the 15-team UNICEF Cup which marked the opening week of this year’s event.

Although the boys from Nelson Mandela’s country returned home empty-handed having missed out of the top-four position that would have seen them compete in one of the finals, the memory of their five-day stay in Nigeria will live with them for sometimes as they savour the serenity of the Fifth Chukker Polo Resort
“We are very comfortable here at the Fifth Chukker and this shows that Nigeria is a very nice place. The people are very friendly and we are already looking forward to coming back next year, ” expressed Mothijoa, 23, the SA Poloafrica captain.

The team’s background made them the toast of the neutrals for the UNICEF Cup but despite falling short of a podium finish, hitman Ntoeleng, who spearheaded their wins against New Line Farms and Aerovote, believes that playing in Nigeria will help them develop faster.

The 21-year-old submitted: “The experience is good because the way polo is played in Nigeria is much difference with our style in South Africa.

“Here you ride faster and hit long balls which was quite exciting to watch. We will return home to add that to our style of play and we are sure it will work for us. “

The team which was sponsored by the South Africa Tourism Board departed home in the early hours of yesterday.