The Dutch league, like the Belgian and French competitions, is a great warm-up this weekend for the World Team Championship, which kicks off next week. Many players are using the national leagues as a run-up to the international tournament in Viersen. The Netherlands is hosting the sixteenth round of the Kozoom League, the French had a league round on Friday evening, and Belgium continues on Monday. Eddy Merckx is even in action with his teams for three days. This Friday evening, the Belgian leader defeated Sameh Sidhom in France, where he remains undefeated after five rounds. This Sunday, Merckx plays with Aartsbouw in the Netherlands against Jean van Erp, and on Monday he plays in Belgium against Jeffrey Jorissen from De Leug. Glenn Hofman, who played in the team competition in Italy last week, won against Jérémy Bury in France last Friday evening. On Sunday, he’s facing the away match with Cues&Darts against Team Eekhoorn and meets Nick Polychronopoulos.
In the Kozoom league, Aartsbouw faces a tough away match against SIS/Vervoort, the team that will stop at the end of the season and where almost all the players are joining new teams. Jean van Erp is leaving for Bousema, Raimond Burgman for Paperclip, Martien van der Spoel for Cues&Darts, and Harrie van de Ven for Burgmans Biljarts. Raymund Swertz is still looking for a new team. Carl Verhoeven's team wants to finish this season as high as possible and is even making a bid for the playoffs. Sunday's match in the round of 16 is therefore crucial: a win puts SIS in contention for fifth place in the standings. Aartsbouw will field Merckx, Orak, Barry van Beers, and Allan Schröder.
Team Eekhoorn against Cues&Darts is a match for the top four positions as well, with Eekhoorn fielding a strong lineup featuring Polychronopoulos, Leppens, Ceulemans, and Van Kuyk. Cues&Darts is fielding its strong captain, Glenn Hofman, who is preparing for his first World Championship in the nations tournament with Dick Jaspers. Ruben Legazpi, who plays with Sergio Jimenez in Viersen, is the second-man for Jef Philipoom and Joey de Kok.
Bousema travels to Zundert for the match against Van Baal, with Forthomme-Jorissen as an attractive top match. Dallinga plays the away match against Harwig.
Sunday's matches and lineups, all live on Kozoom:
SIS/Vervoort-Aartsbouw
Jean van Erp-Eddy Merckx
Raimond Burgman-Turgay Orak
Raymund Swertz-Barry van Beers
Harrie van de Ven-Allan Schröder
Team Eekhoorn-Cues&Darts
Nick Polychronopoulos-Glenn Hofman
Eddy Leppens-Ruben Legazpi
Peter Ceulemans-Jef Philipoom
Frans van Kuyk-Joey de Kok
Harwig-Dallinga
Andreas Niehaus-Jean Paul de Bruijn
Rob Lamboo-Peter De Backer
Richard Dekker-Steven van Acker
Theo Mo?es-Berry Dallinga
Paperclip-RCN
Dick Jaspers-Dave Christiani
Anno de Little Gerwin Valentijn
Cédrid Melnytschenko-Philippe Vandendriessche
Dan Breur-Henk Blauwblomme
Van Baal-Bousema
Roland Forthomme-Jeffrey Jorissen
Sam van Etten-Gökhan Salman
Sergio Jimenez-Johan Loncelle
Francis Forton-Frans van Schaik