This Saturday, 18 January, the All England Polo Club at Hickstead hosts Arena Polo International Day, and the headline match is a first: Argentina will play for the Bryan Morrison Trophy for the very first time. It is the 15th running of the trophy, and the visitors arrive with a strong three-man side.
The teams
The HPA named its teams on 8 January, and the handicaps tell their own story.
- England: Jack Hyde (8), Matias Amaya (7) and Grant Collett (5).
- Argentina: Alfredo Bigatti (8), Adolfo Casabal (6) and Nico Roberts (5), with Pedro Harrison (6) in reserve.
Hyde captains England. He made his debut in this fixture back in 2014 against the USA, and he was on the winning side in 2022 and 2023, so he knows what it takes to win in the arena. Amaya has partnered him in 2023 and 2024. Collett is the newcomer, though he arrives in good form: he and Amaya won the 2024 Surrey Hills Winter Trophy and the Arena VL 12 Goal series title for Ojo Caliente.
Why this one is tight
England have enjoyed plenty of success in this fixture, but last year they lost narrowly to Ireland after an extra chukka. That result will be fresh in the minds of the home side. Arena polo is faster and more confined than the outdoor game. The ball is rarely out of play for long, and a single turnover can swing a match, so a three-a-side contest between two evenly matched teams could go right to the wire.
Snow polo is back too
Elsewhere this week, the snow polo season continues in Austria. The 22nd Snow Polo World Cup in Kitzbühel runs from 16 to 19 January. Intocast won the title in 2023 and 2024, and they are going for a third in a row. Bentley were the runners-up last year, losing the 2024 final 7-6 to Intocast. St. Moritz follows later in the month, and we will bring you reports from both.
If you can get to Hickstead on Saturday, we recommend it. Arena international polo, played this close to the boards, is one of the best spectator experiences the sport has to offer. We will bring you the result next week.
Sources: HPA, Teams revealed for England v Argentina, GC Polo, Kitzbühel preview
