The Aussies were soundly beaten 14-7 by Japan in the round of 5-8 crossovers and will finish the tournament no better than seventh.

Results:
World Student Games, Bangkok, Thailand, day 7:
Play-offs: For 13th & 14th, South Africa 19 Thailand 7; for 11th & 12th, Russia 17 Great Britain 9; For 9th & 10th, Turkey 10, Kazakhstan 7. Round 5-8: Japan 14 Australia 7 (S Robertson, L Vezzosi 2, C Gronow, M Turnbull, R Tracy), Serbia 7 France 6. Semifinals: Montenegro 11 Spain 6, Italy 14 Hungary 6.

Manager's report:
Australia's students missed the opportunity to play for fifth place in a disappointing encounter with Japan on a very hot Thursday in Bangkok. A 3:1 first quarter to the quick handed Japanese team set the tone for the game. Only in the third quarter did the Aussies come close to the Japanese with a 3:4 scoreline. The final result was a disappointing 14:7 loss. With a 11:4 foul count favouring the opposition there was little chance for flexibility with the team. Sam Robertson continued his dominance of lead off swims, winning all four and scoring two goals. He has made huge steps as a player during this tournament. Luca Vezzosi also found the range with two goals, one a well taken penalty and his effort saw him awarded with the MVP for the game.
Quarter by quarter scores were AUS:JPN 1:3, 2:4, 3:4, 1:3.

Scorers were Robertson and Vezzosi with 2 apiece and singles to Chris Gronow, Matt Turnbull and Rydr Tracy.

Tomorrow sees the Aussies in a playoff for 7th and 8th place with an impressive French team. The Aussies will do their best and then look forward to a team dinner with their Thai support group before the closing ceremony on Saturday evening and the trip home on Sunday.

Aussies lose to Italy in World Student Games water polo quarterfinals
Bangkok, Thailand (August 15).—
Australia missed out on making the medal round of the World Student Games water polo tournament after losing 19-7 to the powerful Italian team in quarterfinal play here today.

The team has been without senior international centre forward Tom Woudwyk, a late withdrawal through injury, severely hampering its attack.

The students will now play in the round five to eight.

Results:
World Student Games, Bangkok, day 6:
Play-off for 13th & 14th: China 16 Thailand 9. Round 9-12: Kazakhstan 11 Russia 9, Turkey 9 Great Britain 6. Quarterfinals: Montenegro 9 France 6, Spain 9 Serbia 8, Hungary 11 Japan 6, Italy 19 Australia 7.

Students into quarterfinals after win over Great Britain
Bangkok, Thailand (August 14).—
Australia will play Italy in the quarterfinals of the World Student Games water polo tournament after beating Great Britain 6-5 in the second round here today.

Sam Robertson was the game’s star with three swim wins and two goals as the team took the 2-0 opening quarter and controlled the match.

Results:
World Student Games, Bangkok, day 5:
Second round: Australia 6 (S Robertson, B McGhie 2, C Gronow, D Streets) Great Britain 5, China 13 South Africa 12, Japan 7 Russia 4, France 16 Kazakhstan 4, Spain 14 Turkey 5.

Manager's report:
Australia's University Water Polo Side shocked a confident Great Britain in the cross over game in Bangkok today. Responding to a detailed analysis by coach Simon Daley the well drilled Aussies opened with a 2:0 first quarter and locked down the 3 danger men for the Brits. The final score was 6:5 to the Aussies after a third quarter comeback by the Brits. Team youngster Sam Robertson won all 3 swims he contested and scored 2 goals to take MVP for the game. Brett McGhie also scored 2, with Chris Gronow and Daniel Streets one apiece.

In conditions that could only be described as incredibly opressive the young Aussies enacted a carefully scripted game plan and were in front for all but a brief period of the game. The superb effort was illustrated no better than by Daniel Swinnerton who swam himself into the ground to collapse at the game's end and took several minutes to recover with medical supervision. Coach Simon Daley who conducted a superb analysis of the strengths of the highly favoured Brits expressed immense pride and satisfaction with the team effort.

The reward for the team is a place in the top eight and a game against the Italians late tomorrow afternoon.
 

Aussie Students lose to Montenegro at Universiade
Bangkok, Thailand (August 12).—
Australia's University team lost 16-6 to Montenegro at the Universiade in Thailand today.

Final score 6:16, quarter by quarter        0:3, 2:2, 2:4, 2:7

Scorers:        Brett McGhie, Matt Turnbull 2, Ben Turner, Chris Gronow 1.

Australia expected a tough game against the highly fancied Montenegran team, a far bigger side, most in the national open team. They were not disappointed. Montenegro opened heavily and hit three goals in the first quarter before the Australian team hit their straps in the second, playing an even quarter with goals to Ben Turner and Chris Gronow. The second half began evenly with goals to Brett McGhie and Matt Turnbull in each quarter but the Aussies tired in the heat in the last and it was a blow out at 2:7. Brett McGhie shot well from outside and played strongly at centre back for MVP.
The AUS team now prepares for a Tuesday afternoon do or die effort against Great Britain in the cross over. A win here will give a top 8 finish.

Aussie Students beat Thailand at Universiade
Bangkok, Thailand (August 11).—
Australia's University team triumphed 24-7 over home town hero Thailand at the Universiade in Thailand today.

In what was expected to be an easy win almost all players shared the goals with Rydr Tracy the game high with six goals. He was well supported by Daniel Streets, Chris Gronow, Brett McGhie and Matt Turnbull with three each, Sam Robertson and Craig Hammond with two apiece and Ben Turner with one. Turnbull was named MVP for the game.

Tomorrow's game against the highly fancied Montenegro will be tough and the finals series will begin on the 14th with a must-win game against Great Britain's national team for a quarter-final berth. The team is positive about this result.

Most of the heavyweight countries have strong teams at the games with Serbia, Hungary, Montenegro, Italy, Russia and France all looking powerful in the early rounds. 

Australia has the youngest team in the competition with an average age under 21. The full team is Daniel Lees and Fraser Bunn as Goalies, Daniel Streets, Daniel Swinnerton, Ben Turner, Luca Vezzosi, Chris Gronow, Brett McGhie, Craig Hammond, Sam Robertson, Matt Turnbull and Rydr Tracy as field players. Simon Daley is coaching with Doug McGhie as Manager.

Bangkok, Thailand (August 10).— First game: Russia 8 b AUS 6

Goals:        Rydr Tracy 3, Brett McGhie 2, Chris Gronow 1

Best:         Daniel Lees - outstanding in goals

Australia played a jet lagged Russia in the second game in Pool A in Bangkok today. The Russians arrived on the day the tournament began and were allowed to start. The early group A game was won by Montenegro 36 to Thailand 3. AUS played above their training form but started too slowly in the first half, losing each quarter 2:1. They drew the last two quarters 3:3 and 1:1. Great keeping by Daniel Lees and agressive outside shooting by Rydr Tracy and Brett McGhie kept AUS in the game with Lees the outstanding player of the game making many saves. Conditions for the game were tryting, beginning in the rain but with accompanying furious heat. In the end the rain stopped and the day became hotter and more humid with players diving for cold drinks of water and iced towels as they left the pool for any break. On Saturday the AUS team takes on the local team with the Thais relatively new to water polo and AUS expected to win. On Sunday the challenge moves to one of the tournament favourites in Montenegro.

AUS is doing well given the pre-tournament loss of Tom Woudwyk to a serious burn, leaving the team with no established centre forward and limited size compared to many of the top teams. AUS is competing against near full strength national teams from several other countries.