Great Britain men earn fourth spot at The World Games

Tommy Kirkland escapes a German defender at The World Games 2022

The British Men’s Lacrosse Team had to settle for fourth spot at The World Games 2022 as they succumbed to an agonising 18-19 over-time defeat to Japan in the bronze medal game on Wednesday morning.

This year’s edition of The World Games has seen World Lacrosse Sixes make its debut on the global stage and men’s lacrosse included for the first time and the British boys were unlucky not to leave Birmingham, Alabama with a bronze medal around their necks.

An incredible performance from Lyndon Bunio that saw him score eight of Britains’s 18 goals against Japan helped to claw his team from 10-6 down in the second quarter to 17-16 in the fourth.

A goal from Alex Russell and one from Ryan Hunns just 33 seconds before the end of the game then helped to push Britain into golden goal over-time.

But it wasn’t to be for this hard-working British side in 2022 as, at the halfway point of the first period of over-time, Japan’s Kabuki Obana scored his fourth of the game to earn his side the third spot and the bronze medal.

Overall, the British Men’s Lacrosse Team will look back on this campaign positively as they began with a very impressive win over Australia in their opening match.

It was a tough game to start the competition but, in many ways, the perfect preparation for the games to come and, despite being 7-4 down mid-way through the third quarter, Britain rallied and with the help from a hat-trick each from Bunio and Ben Page-Laycock, they won 13-11.

Next up, an even tougher test against the USA who had already brushed aside Germany 27-10 in their opening fixture.

A brilliant first few minutes saw Britain go 1-0 up through Ryan Hunns and they capped off a faultless first half with a Bunio goal seeing them go in 4-4 at the half.

USA were able to come out for the second half and show why they are such a dominant lacrosse force and five goals from Ryan Conrad helped his team to an eventual 17-9 victory.

The games were coming thick and fast for Britain and their third and final pool stage game saw them take on European rivals, Germany, knowing that a win would ensure a spot in the semi-finals.

This match-up was perhaps the most straightforward of Britain’s five games at The World Games 2022 with the team coming out on top in each of the four quarters, including an emphatic 7-2 third quarter.

Four goals each from Alex Russell and the ever-reliable Bunio, as well as hat-tricks from Ryan Sweetman, Zac Guy, and Page-Laycock helped Britain reach the semi-finals with a 22-10 victory.

Now, the really tricky part: a semi-final against a formidable Canada side who had already made light of Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Japan, and Israel in Pool B, scoring 73 goals and conceding just 26.

They hadn’t lost a single quarter on their way to the semis and the most they’d shipped in a quarter was five goals.

Unfortunately for the British Men’s Lacrosse Team, Canada were determined to keep this run going and, despite a valiant effort, and goals from eight different scorers, Britain were unable to overcome the team from North America, eventually losing 11-22, setting up a mouth-watering bronze medal tie against Japan who were beaten by USA 17-12 in the other semi-final.

And Great Britain v Japan proved to be one of the games of the tournament (some would say even better than the final which saw Canada hammer USA 23-9) with both teams unable to be separated after four quarters and 32 minutes of fast-paced, relentless sixes lacrosse.

Lacrosse, especially sixes lacrosse, can be brutal and that’s how it proved in the end for Britain’s men as they fell to an over-time goal from Japan to finish fourth at the inaugural lacrosse competition at The World Games.

Attention now turns to the women’s competition as the Great Britain Women’s Team take on Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Israel in Pool B.

Last night, Britain were defeated 16-9 in their opening game of the tournament against Canada.

All Britain’s games can be watched on Olympic TV for free HERE.

Results

GB 13 - 11 Australia | Pool Game 1
Scorers: Pomfret (2), Russell (2), Page-Laycock (3), Bunio (3), Hunns, Sweetman, Bracegirdle

GB 9 - 17 USA | Pool Game 2
Scorers: Page-Laycock (2), Hunns (2), Bunio (2), Pomfret (2), Sweetman

GB 22 - 10 Germany | Pool Game 3
Scorers: Bunio (4), Bracegirdle (2), Sweetman (3), Kirkland, Guy (3), Page-Laycock (3), Russell (4), Hunns, Pomfret

GB 11 - 22 Canada | Semi-Final
Scorers: Page-Laycock, Bunio (2), Hunns, Russell, Sweetman (2), Pomfret, Mills (2), Kirkland

GB 18 - 19 (OT) Japan | Bronze Medal Game
Scorers: Sweetman, Kirkland, Russell (3), Page-Laycock, Bunio (8), Hunns (2), Bracegirdle, Pomfret

Great Britain Top Scorers

Lyndon Bunio | 19
Ben Page-Laycock | 10
Alex Russell | 10
Ryan Sweetman | 8
Ryan Hunns | 7
Mike Pomfret | 7