Team Europe captain Nina Clarkin admits her side will be considered underdogs in Saturday’s final of the Ralph Lauren International Ladies Polo tournament against Team UAE but her opponent Sunny Hale predicts an even affair.
Clarkin, the world’s top female polo player with a four-goal handicap, combined with her team-mate Lucy Taylor to lead Team Europe to a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Team North America yesterday at the Desert Palm.
The win earned them a spot in today’s final, where they will take on Team UAE – who had beaten them in round robin action on Thursday – headlined by the legendary Hale and Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
“We now have another shot at the team that beat us yesterday,” Clarkin told Sport360°.
“I still think we’re going in as underdogs. I think on paper they’re a stronger team and they probably have a better set up. Sheikha Maitha is riding her own horses and she is a very accomplished player. But we’ve got nothing to lose. We got to the final, we’re going to enjoy the day and bring the best we’ve got.”
@SimonettaDegan #sunset #ladiespolodubai @RalphLauren International Ladies Polo http://t.co/oGi1WGRfCx” THE best płace @DesertPalmDubai
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Clarkin, 32, opened the scoring for Team Europe yesterday before 24-year-old Hazel Jackson equalised for Team North America.
Team Europe, dressed in yellow, edged ahead 3-2 heading into half-time before their blue-dressed opponents hit their stride in the third chukka, where they opened up a 6-3 lead.
Taylor managed to pull one back for Team Europe in the dying moments of the third chukka and it sparked a fight-back from the yellows, who managed to draw level at 6-6 to force a sudden death extra chukka.
Clarkin’s side sealed the comeback with a penalty to move into the final.
Jackson was disappointed to be missing out on the final but is excited about taking part in the All- Star game scheduled to take place following the title match.
“I think that match tomorrow is going to be one of the highest level ladies matches I would have ever played in. And I think almost the highest level ladies match which has ever taken place,” said Jackson.
Meanwhile Hale, the first woman in history to win the US Open Polo Championship, says Europe will be difficult opponents in the final.
“I think we’re going to have a really good, even match. They were really aggressive and tough to stay in the match and win it. So I think we’ll have to be really good on our defence and really cut them off short,” said the American star.
