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Kiwi Team Seeded High At World Champs

Monday 27 November 2017, 12:44PM

By dave worsley

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The 2017 World Squash Federation Men’s World Team Squash Championship commence tonight at Marseille, France with 24 nations competing in the prestigious event, November 27 – December 3.

New Zealand is sixth seed, their best seeding for nearly 30 years and are in pool F with South Africa who are ranked 11th and the United States 22nd. The Kiwi team of world No.9 Paul Coll, Campbell Grayson (Auckland), Wellington’s Evan Williams, Ben Grindrod (Bay of Plenty) and coach Kashif Shuja play the unheralded South Africans this evening from midnight in what should be a straightforward victory.

Since 1967, New Zealand has participated in every edition reaching the final three times and also finished third once. However the last time New Zealand reached the semi-final stage was in 1989. Their last finish was in 15th position in 2013 with an improved result expect on this occasion.

Defending champions England, who denied Egypt a third successive title in 2013 have former world No.1’s Nick Matthew and James Willstrop making their seventh appearances at the Championships.

Top seeds and 2013 runners-up, Egypt, will be looking to reclaim their trophy and they are made up of a host of world-class talent.

Meanwhile, home nation France will look to make history by claiming their first Men’s World Team Championship after finishing as runners-up in both 2003 and 2009 and have current world No.1 Gregory Gaultier in their team.