2010 World Lacrosse Championship

The 2010 World Lacrosse Championship was held between 15–24 July. This international men's field lacrosse tournament organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse took place in Manchester, United Kingdom. This was the third time that the tournament was played in Greater Manchester, after the 1978 and 1994 championships.

2010 World Lacrosse Championship

Tournament details
Host country	England
Venue(s)	Armitage Center, Manchester
Dates	15–24 July
Teams	29
Final positions
Champions	United States (9th title)
Runners-up	Canada
Third place	Australia
Fourth place	Japan
Tournament statistics
Games played	101
Goals scored	2,062 (20.42 per game)
Awards
MVP	Paul Rabil
← 2006 2014 →

The United States captured their ninth gold medal, defeating Canada 12–10 in the championship game.^[1] Paul Rabil of Team USA was named tournament MVP.^[2] Australia earned its fourth-straight bronze medal by defeating Japan 16 –9.

A record 29 nations competed at the event, eight more than the 2006 WLC in London, Ontario. The 101 games were held at the Armitage Centre, Manchester University's sports grounds.^[3][4]

For the first time, a FIL World Lacrosse Festival ran alongside the world championships from 17 to 22 July. 48 teams from around the world competed in 8 divisions from U16 to Grand Masters.^[5]

Iroquois passport controversy

The Iroquois Nationals' participation in the championships was prevented in a dispute over their passports.^[6] The team sought to travel on Haudenosaunee passports, but the United Kingdom government would not allow it because of increased passport security requirements.^[7] The United States Department of State initially also refused to allow the passports, but later granted the team a one-time waiver to travel to the tournament. However, the U.K. would not issue the team visas.^[8]

Initially, the Iroquois were hoping to be able to travel, and agreed to forfeit their first game against England. Because it was the opening game of the tournament, organizers arranged for the host team to play Germany in an exhibition match instead.^[9] However, just before game time, the FIL decided to move Germany to the Blue Division and the Iroquois to the Plum Division, making the England-Germany match an official one.^[10] The Iroquois team did not officially withdraw from the tournament, and would have been allowed to play its remaining games should it have resolved its passport difficulties in time.^[11] On 18 July, the FIL announced that the competition schedule had progressed too far to allow Iroquois to compete in the tournament.^[12] Each of the other three Plum Division teams were given 1–0 forfeit victories over the Iroquois team.

Pool play

For pool play, nations were separated into seven divisions according to strength, the top six teams were placed in the Blue Division, and the other teams were put in six divisions of four. Each of the thirty nations were eligible to win the championship. Each division played round-robin games for ranking to determine which tournament brackets they would be placed in.

Blue Division

The Blue Division originally consisted of the top six teams from the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship, but Germany was moved up to replace the missing Iroquois team. The first and second place teams from the Blue Division advanced to the tournament semifinals. The third and fourth place teams advanced to the quarterfinals. The fifth and sixth place teams were placed into the 5th through 8th place classification bracket.

Canada's 10–9 win over the United States marked the first time that the American team lost a preliminary round game in any world championship, and only its third loss overall.^[13] Both teams ended up advancing to the semifinals.

Japan, Australia, and England all finished 2–3 in the Blue Division and 1–1 in head-to-head matches against each other. All three games between the teams were close, with two going into overtime. Japan and Australia advanced to the quarterfinals based on goal differential in those matches.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Canada	5	5	0	86	28	+58	Advanced to semifinals
2	United States	5	4	1	88	29	+59
3	Japan	5	2[a]	3	47	67	−20	Advanced to quarterfinals
4	Australia	5	2[a]	3	51	63	−12
5	England	5	2[a]	3	44	59	−15	Advanced to 5th–8th place games
6	Germany	5	0	5	24	96	−72

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

1. Goal differential in matches between tied teams: Japan +1; Australia 0; England −1

15 July 2010
England	12–3	Germany
16 July 2010
Canada	17–4	Japan
United States	21–5	Australia
17 July 2010
Japan	15–9	Germany
Australia	10–8 (OT)	England
United States	9–10	Canada
18 July 2010
England	13–12 (OT)	Japan
Germany	4–22	United States
Canada	19–5	Australia
19 July 2010
Germany	4–23	Canada
Australia	9–11	Japan
United States	17–5	England
20 July 2010
Japan	5–19	United States
Australia	22–4	Germany
Canada	17–6	England

Key to colours in division tables
Six division winners and top two runners-up advanced to the upper bracket
Four remaining runners-up and top four third-placed teams advanced to the middle bracket
Two remaining third-placed teams and six last placed teams advanced to the lower bracket

Orange Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Ireland	3	3	0	60	10	+50	Semifinals
2	Slovakia	3	2	1	21	33	−12	Quarterfinals
3	Switzerland	3	1	2	15	32	−17
4	South Korea	3	0	3	15	38	−23	5th–8th place

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
Slovakia	10–4	Switzerland
Ireland	21–3	South Korea
17 July 2010
Switzerland	10–6	South Korea
Slovakia	4–23	Ireland
18 July 2010
South Korea	6–7	Slovakia
Switzerland	3–16	Ireland

Plum Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Spain	3	3	0	28	22	+6	Semifinals
2	Hong Kong	3	2	1	25	24	+1	Quarterfinals
3	Norway	3	1	2	17	21	−4
4	Haudenosaunee	3	0	3	0	3	−3	5th–8th place

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
Haudenosaunee	0–1	Spain
Hong Kong	10–8	Norway
17 July 2010
Norway	8–11	Spain
Hong Kong	1–0	Haudenosaunee
18 July 2010
Norway	1–0	Haudenosaunee
Spain	16–14	Hong Kong

• Iroquois forfeited their three games due to not being able to travel to the tournament.

Yellow Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Finland	3	3	0	37	18	+19	Semifinals
2	Poland	3	2	1	42	19	+23	Quarterfinals
3	Bermuda	3	1	2	18	35	−17
4	Denmark	3	0	3	15	40	−25	5th–8th place

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
Bermuda	2–16	Poland
Finland	14–2	Denmark
17 July 2010
Poland	15–5	Denmark
Bermuda	5–11	Finland
18 July 2010
Poland	11–12 (OT)	Finland
Denmark	8–11	Bermuda

Red Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Czech Republic	3	3	0	47	10	+37	Semifinals
2	Sweden	3	2	1	42	14	+28
3	Italy	3	1	2	18	36	−18	5th–8th place
4	Mexico	3	0	3	6	53	−47

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
Italy	3–17	Czech Republic
Sweden	20–2	Mexico
17 July 2010
Sweden	16–3	Italy
Mexico	1–21	Czech Republic
18 July 2010
Mexico	3–12	Italy
Czech Republic	9–6	Sweden

Turquoise Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Scotland	3	3	0	57	14	+43	Semifinals
2	New Zealand	3	2	1	37	26	+11	Quarterfinals
3	Latvia	3	1	2	25	37	−12
4	France	3	0	3	11	53	−42	5th–8th place

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
New Zealand	18–3	France
Scotland	20–4	Latvia
17 July 2010
New Zealand	8–18	Scotland
France	6–16	Latvia
18 July 2010
France	2–19	Scotland
Latvia	5–11	New Zealand

Grey Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Qualification
1	Wales	3	3	0	49	12	+37	Semifinals
2	Netherlands	3	2	1	55	18	+37
3	Austria	3	1	2	21	41	−20	5th–8th place
4	Argentina	3	0	3	11	65	−54

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 July 2010
Argentina	5–16	Austria
Netherlands	9–10	Wales
17 July 2010
Argentina	3–29	Netherlands
Austria	0–19	Wales
18 July 2010
Wales	20–3	Argentina
Austria	5–17	Netherlands

Intermediate Round

Starting on 19 July, all teams except for the Blue Division moved to one of three intermediate brackets: either the upper, middle, or lower bracket.

Upper bracket

The upper bracket included the six first-place finishers from each division as well as the top two second-place finishers. These teams were still eligible for the World Championship and could have finished anywhere from 1st to 16th in the tournament. By winning two games in the upper bracket, Scotland and Netherlands advanced to the quarterfinals.

	July 19				July 20
	Czech Republic	14
	Scotland	17
					Scotland	15
					Ireland	9
	Ireland	12
	Sweden	7
					Third place
					Czech Republic	8
					Sweden	15

	July 19				July 20
	Finland	7
	Wales	9
					Wales	8
					Netherlands	9
	Netherlands	16
	Spain	1
					Third place
					Finland	21
					Spain	4

Middle bracket

The middle bracket included the remaining four second-place finishers and the top four third-place finishers. These teams could have finished anywhere from 9th to 24th in the final rankings.

	19 July				20 July
	Switzerland	3
	New Zealand	11
					New Zealand	16
					Latvia	3
	Hong Kong	10
	Latvia	12
					Third place
					20 July – 12:30
					Switzerland	11
					Hong Kong	7

	19 July				20 July
	Norway	4
	Slovakia	14
					Slovakia	6
					Poland	11
	Poland	14
	Bermuda	10
					Third place
					Norway	4
					Bermuda	8

Lower bracket

The lower bracket included the remaining two third-place finishers and the six fourth-place finishers. These teams could have finished no higher than 17th in the final rankings.

	19 July				20 July
	Mexico	9
	South Korea	10
					South Korea	8
					Austria	13
	France	4
	Austria	15
					Third place
					Mexico	6
					France	10

	19 July				20 July
	Denmark
	Bye
					Denmark	3
					Italy	10
	Italy	13
	Argentina	9
					Third place
					Argentina

Play-in games

On 21 July, Finland beat Poland 13–7 to advance to the 9th–12th place bracket, sending Poland to the 13th–16th place bracket. Italy beat Switzerland 7–6 to advance to the 17th–20th place bracket, while Switzerland entered the 21st–24th place bracket.

Championship bracket

	Quarterfinals 21 July					Semifinals 22 July					Gold medal game 24 July
						Canada		15
	Australia		20			Australia		6
	Scotland		11								Canada		10
											United States		12
						United States		20
	Japan		14			Japan		5			Bronze medal game
	Netherlands		8
											Australia		16
											Japan		9

Classification brackets

5th to 8th place

	22 July				5th place
	England	23
	Scotland	9
					England	14
					Germany	9
	Germany	14
	Netherlands	1
					7th place
					Scotland	11
					Netherlands	10

9th to 12th place

	22 July				9th place
	Wales	5
	Sweden	9
					Sweden	8
					Ireland	15
	Ireland	17
	Finland	6
					11th place
					Wales	10
					Finland	5

13th to 16th place

	22 July				13th place
	Spain	11
	Poland	15
					Poland	3
					Czech Republic	21
	New Zealand	8
	Czech Republic	13
					15th place
					Spain	5
					New Zealand	23

17th to 20th place

	22 July				17th place
	Latvia	7
	Bermuda	8
					Bermuda	7
					Slovakia	12
	Slovakia	10
	Italy	4
					19th place
					Latvia	8
					Italy	13

21st to 24th place

	22 July				21st place
	Austria	10
	Norway	4
					Austria	9
					Hong Kong	8
	Hong Kong	15
	Switzerland	8
					23rd place
					Norway	0
					Switzerland	2

25th to 28th place

	22 July				25th place
	South Korea	16
	Argentina	5
					South Korea	12
					Denmark	10
	France	7
	Denmark	9
					27th place
					Argentina	8
					France	10

Final standings

Rank	Team	Record
	United States	6–1
	Canada	6–1
	Australia	4–4
4	Japan	3–5
5	England	4–3
6	Germany	1–6
7	Scotland	6–2
8	Netherlands	5–3
9	Ireland	6–1
10	Sweden	4–3
11	Wales	5–2
12	Finland	5–3
13	Czech Republic	5–2
14	Poland	5–3
15	New Zealand	5–2
16	Spain	3–4
17	Slovakia	5–2
18	Bermuda	3–4
19	Italy	5–3
20	Latvia	2–5
21	Austria	5–2
22	Hong Kong	3–4
23	Switzerland	3–5
24	Norway	1–6
25	South Korea	3–4
26	Denmark	1–5
27	France	2–5
28	Argentina	0–6
29	Mexico	0–5
–	Haudenosaunee	0–3

Awards

All World Team

The Federation of International Lacrosse named an All World Team at the conclusion of the championship, along with four other individual awards.^[14]

Goalkeeper

Chris Sanderson

Defence

Brodie Merrill
Ryan McClay
Kyle Sweeney

Midfield

Paul Rabil
Max Seibald
Leigh Perham

Attack

John Grant, Jr.
Brendan Mundorf
Mike Leveille

Best Positional Players

Chris Sanderson - Goalkeeper
Brodie Merrill - Defence
Paul Rabil - Midfield
John Grant, Jr. - Attack

Tournament MVP

Paul Rabil - Midfield

See also

• World Lacrosse, the unified governing body for world lacrosse
• World Lacrosse Championship
• Field lacrosse