Richardson aiming for England polo berth
Jack Richardson, the six goal handicap, hopes that a convincing display in this year’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup will see him rewarded with a call-up to the England squad this month.
Richardson has represented England in the Beaufort internationals, the Super Nations and the Snow Polo World Cup in China. He’s done everything, he says, but the “main gig at Guards”.
By that he means the Royal Salute Coronation Cup, where England will play a Commonwealth team on July 23 and Richardson is aiming for one of four coveted places.
With so few chances to play for England, Richardson hopes that will change in the next few years.
He said: “I’m hoping to make the England team. I have massive aspirations to do so and I really hope to do well enough in the Gold Cup to warrant selection in the main international match.
“There are a few of us who are knocking on the door now and below me.”
Richardson, aged 24 and older brother to Ralph, first started playing through his father who was in the Army. He turned professional in his last year of school and has enjoyed a rapid rise to six goals – 10 being the pinnacle handicap in the sport.
“I hope the HPA can find the sponsorship to start funding the Test matches again,” he said. “It will grow and hopefully we can take teams overseas and create more matches here. But it is finding the right opposition and also having a competitive enough team which we can show off.”
Richardson is currently playing for local side Cowdray Vikings in the Gold Cup, with one defeat and one win ahead of a crucial outing with all-British outfit Britannia El Remanso on Wednesday.
“We will be the underdogs but hopefully we can be a team to be reckoned with,” said Richardson before the 60th Gold Cup. “We don’t want to be an outfit who just turns up and be the whipping boys.”