Who will be the next World Team Champion? Can Egypt make it 3 in a row? Will host France use the home advantage? Is England strong enough to make it again? Egypt, England, Australia and hosts France will contest the semi-finals of the Men’s World Team Championship for the 4th time in a row after surging through the quarter-finals of the biennial event being staged in France for the first time in its 46-year history.
Favourites Egypt, looking to become the first nation since 1987 to win the title three times in a row, brushed aside eighth seeds India 2/0. Australia, the 4th seeds beat Germany, the No6 seeds, 2/0. 2nd seeds England faced tournament dark horses South Africa, and beat the No7 seeds 3/0. France rounded off the evening by conquering Malaysia 3/0.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] EGYPT v [4] AUSTRALIA
[2] ENGLAND v [3] FRANCE
5th – 8th place play-offs:
[6] GERMANY v [8] INDIA
[5] MALAYSIA v [7] SOUTH AFRICA
9th – 12th place play-offs:
[15] CANADA v [14] PAKISTAN
[11] USA v [16] SCOTLAND
13th – 16th place play-offs:
[10] HONG KONG CHINA v [12] NEW ZEALAND
[9] FINLAND v [13] MEXICO
17th – 20th place play-offs:
[17/20] KUWAIT v [17/20] SWITZERLAND
[17/20] NETHERLANDS v [21/24] ARGENTINA
21st – 24th place play-offs:
[21/24] IRELAND v [25/28] JAPAN
[17/20] COLOMBIA v [21/24] BOTSWANA
25th – 28th place play-offs:
[29/31] RUSSIA v [29/31] KENYA
[25/28] CZECH REPUBLIC v [25/28] POLAND
29th – 32nd place play-offs:
[25/28] VENEZUELA bye
[21/24] AUSTRIA v [29/31] NAMIBIA
