The English team with Peter Barker, Tom Richards, Nick Matthew, Daryl Selby and James Wilstrop would like to defend last year's title (photo: Jordan Mansfield). England will contest both the men's and women's finals of the European Team Squash Championships after decisive victories in the semi-finals in Nürnberg, Germany.
For the 12th time since 1999, favourites England will face France in the men's final. Title-holders England despatched Scotland, the sixth seeds, 4/0 – and later 2nd seeds France beat No6 seeds Germany 4/0.
England's women brushed aside hosts Germany 3/0 and will now face Ireland in the final. With their semi-final against 4th seeds France tied at one-all, Ireland's second string Aisling Blake staged a courageous comeback to beat Coline Aumard 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5 to put Ireland into the final for the first time since 1989.
Men semi-finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [6] SCOTLAND 4/0
Daryl Selby bt Chris Small 11-5, 11-2, 11-3
Nick Matthew bt Alan Clyne 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
Peter Barker bt Greg Lobban 11-4, 11-5, 11-1
Tom Richards bt Stuart Crawford 11-2, 11-8
[2] FRANCE bt [5] GERMANY 4/0
Mathieu Castagnet bt Andre Haschker 11-8, 11-3, 11-1
Gregory Gaultier bt Simon Rosner 11-4, 11-2, 8-11, 15-13
Thierry Lincou bt Raphael Kandra 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-2
Gregoire Marche bt Rudi Rohrmuller 11-3, 11-6
Women’s semi-finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [6] GERMANY 3/0
Jenny Duncalf bt Pamela Hathway 11-3, 11-4, 11-5
Alison Waters bt Franziska Hennes 11-1, 11-1, 11-7
Laura Massaro bt Eva Brauckmann 11-2, 11-1
[3] IRELAND bt [4] FRANCE 2/1
Madeline Perry bt Camille Serme 12-10, 12-10, 11-5
Laura Mylotte lost to Maud Duplomb 8-11, 8-11, 8-11
Aisling Blake bt Coline Aumard 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5
