“We Need to Rethink the Current World Cup Format” – Vaughn Marlow on Tournament Structures, Development & Technology in Water Polo

In this second episode with Vaughn Marlow, head coach of the South African men’s national team, we dive deep into the structure of modern major water polo tournaments and why current formats often fail to support real development for emerging nations.

Vaughn explains why he strongly supports the Division 1 & Division 2 concept of the World Cup, as it allows countries like Germany or Romania to grow through competitive matches instead of facing top nations with no realistic chance of success. He highlights why development only happens through balanced games, not through heavy wins or crushing defeats.

A major focus is the challenge of preparation for non-European nations:
- Limited funding
- Late arrival at tournaments
- Long international travel
- Jet lag and time zone changes
- No professional league structures
- Training mostly against their own team

Vaughn also shares detailed insights into:
- The World Cup in Berlin and its physical demands
- Playing two international matches in one day
- Facing nations like Spain, Serbia, Montenegro
- How to correctly analyze defeats against fully professional teams
- Why coaches must differentiate between tactical errors and pure structural disadvantages

Another key topic is technology in water polo. Vaughn discusses:
- GPS tracking and heart-rate monitoring
- Performance analytics used in rugby and football
- Live data and in-game video feedback
- Virtual reality as a training tool
- Why water polo still lags behind in sports technology

Finally, Vaughn looks ahead to the World Championships in Fukuoka, explaining South Africa’s difficult group with Montenegro, Serbia and Spain, and why these matches are still crucial for long-term development—even if the results are predictable.

This episode is highly valuable for coaches, federation officials, athletes and fans who want to understand how international tournament formats, technology and realistic development planning shape the future of global water polo.

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