The Masters’ Division (like Womens) looks pretty clear and will hand out 2 spots to 3 entrants! Whilst it shouldn’t be competitive, it is an interesting first step into the separation of teams in the UK. This division will start on Saturday at 12:00 and will finish on Saturday before 18:00.
Since there are only 3 teams entered and three games that will be played, instead of “Games to Watch” I’ll just preview the three teams and predict their finishing positions.
Zimmer: In the first draft of this preview, I confused Zimmer with the team Age against the Machine who entered Euro/World clubs in the last cycle. Having a look at their roster on the UKUNationals website, their team looks STACKED full of some of the best players to have played in the Open division this year with Masters eligibility, as well as some great players coming out of “retirement”. It is also a very close match with the GB Open Masters Beach squad which annihilated all competition at the European Beach championships earlier this summer.
Blue Arse Flies: BAF are the first of the two (what could be seen as) true Masters’ clubs in the tournament. BAF entered open tour with (I would estimate) a 50/50 split of Masters and younger players and have sent teams which could enter Masters’ divisions to international tournaments like Tom’s Tourney before. Interestingly, schedule wise, the first game could be the championship game with Zimmer facing BAF in round 1. Whilst they have had to pick up some players to fill out the squad, the core of this team has been playing together as a team for years and may find their stride quicker in game 1 than Zimmer may like.
Trigger Happy: TH also entered open tour, finishing 34th, a whole 20 places lower than BAF, and as far as I know have never been to a national or international tournament in any capacity. Whilst they could pick up masters players not playing for a qualified Open/Women’s/Mixed club, I don’t see them challenging for either the title or the 2nd Euro spot against BAF or Zimmer.
Predictions:
11.Zimmer
22. BAF
33.Trigger Happy
BAF will play Zimmer tough in game 1, but with the talent on the Zimmer squad there isn’t a way I can see them coming away with anything but Gold. BAF should be able to handle Trigger Happy to take the Silver and the 2nd Euro spot.
Fyi, as the Euros spots for Masters are already allocated, Nationals is actually qualification for WUCC2014. It's probably also seeding for Euros, but that hasn't been an official comment, as yet.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Is it Zimmer and BAF which have the Euro spots?
DeleteYes I believe so.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Zimmer probably didn't want BAF in the first game - it's probably going to come down to whether they can settle their offence early enough. If so then I think they should take it.