POLOCROSSE: The Southern Downs can claim to be home to one of the best under-21 lady polocrosse players in the world after Ryle Waugh won three awards after an intermediate Test series win in South Africa.

Waugh played for the Australian team which won the international intermediate (under 21) series two matches to one at Port Elizabeth at the weekend.

She and Zac O’Leary were the two Cunningham club players in the winning intermediate team.

Waugh won the best horse and rider award, champion lady player and best No.1 award.

The awards for individual positions were judged from all the players so Waugh was judged the best No.1 from both the men and ladies in both teams.

She wasn’t the only winner from Queensland. Byron Davison from the Tansey club was best No.3.

New South Wales rider Lindsey Doolan won the golden pony award and fellow New South Wales player Farann Mathie the Bomber award presented to a "key" player in intermediates. Stefan Harris from South Africa was best male player in intermediates.

In the junior (under 16) age group, Australian players dominated the awards after the visiting team won the series three games to nil.

Will Taylor from Bauhinia in Central Queensland won best horse and rider combination, best male player and best No.1 while Alec Grills was best No.2 and Felicity Elford best No.3.

The Bomber award was won by Hugh Anderson and the champion lady player and golden awards in the juniors went to Adel Martin.

The players in the intermediate Australian team have the chance to press their claims to make the team for the 2019 World Cup in Warwick and going on the scores at the weekend against a country which has won the past two World Cups, there are plenty of quality players available for selectors to look at.

Farann Mathie, who was one of the award winners in South Africa, will play in the national ladies open squad games at Morgan Park during the NTI Rose Bowl Carnival on August 19-21.