Lausanne, Switzerland, June 23, 2018 - Poland need to beat Australia Sunday in Melbourne if they're to make the Final Six of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, after Italy beat France in Modena on Saturday. Poland could still go through with a loss to Australia, if Italy get defeated by USA in the very last match of pool play. The 'Volleyroos' have only ever beaten Poland once in seven previous encounters - at the London 2012 Olympic Games in four sets.
Head-to-Head
• Australia and Poland have met seven times at world level major tournaments. Australia won one of those seven, Poland six.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Australia's only win against Poland came at the London 2012 Olympic Games (3-1).
• Poland have won four of their six world level major tournament matches versus Australia in straight sets, including both encounters since their only defeat in 2012.
• These teams have never played a fifth set against each other at world level major tournaments.
Australia
• Australia lost 3-1 to Argentina on Saturday, their second defeat in the VNL in a row. Australia had won four successive Nations League matches prior.
• Australia have won five matches in this VNL, two shy from their record number of wins at a single world level major tournament - seven in the 2014 and 2017 World League.
• Jordan Richards (15), Nehemiah Mote (14) and Max Staples (11) all reached double figures in scoring against Argentina.
• Nehemiah Mote (3), Beau Graham (3) and Thomas Hodges (2) all scored multiple points from stuff blocks versus Argentina. Australia scored nine points from blocks in total in that match.
Poland
• Poland have lost four of their last five VNL matches, with the exception of the 3-1 win over Argentina on Friday. Poland had won eight of their first nine Nations League matches.
• Poland will still qualify for the final round with a victory over Australia. They could already qualify for the final round if Italy loses against leaders France on Saturday.
• Nine of Poland's 14 VNL matches were decided in three sets: W6-L3.
• Poland could claim at least 10 victories at a single world level major tournament for the first time since the 2015 World Cup (10 wins).
• In all of Poland's matches in this VNL, the winner of the first set also won the match.
• Maciej Muzaj scored 18 points in the defeat against Brazil, at least six points more than any other Polish player.