tlr online
26-10-03, 23:44
The UK's scissors, paper, stone team is preparing to do battle as the game's world championships kick off in Canada. The five team members will face more than 1,000 rivals in the playground game - officially called Rock, Paper, Scissors - for the largest purse in professional RPS history, £3,400.
Magician Derren Brown, who once unfailingly predicted an opponent's throws on his TV show, has already given the squad his backing as they prepare to go hand to hand in the knockout in Toronto. It is the first time in the championship's two-year history that the UK has fielded a team.
Team captain James Lawson says he hopes the British public will get behind the team "in a big way". "After all, our chosen sport has all the intensity, drama and excitement of a Rugby World Cup and the team I've put together is determined to carry the trophy home."
Mr Lawson added that RPS is a skill-based game with two halves to it. "First there's the physical side, actually getting the throws out, and on the other side is the psychological game," he said. "It's about working out what your opponent is going to throw by doing things like looking for signs on their face."
The UK team, who are all based in London, also includes Rob Roscoe, Andrew Cumming, Will Blackwell and Dougal Kerr. They are all aged 27, with the exception of Mr Cumming, who is 28, and are all English apart from Scottish Mr Kerr.
www.ananova.com (http://www.ananova.com)
Magician Derren Brown, who once unfailingly predicted an opponent's throws on his TV show, has already given the squad his backing as they prepare to go hand to hand in the knockout in Toronto. It is the first time in the championship's two-year history that the UK has fielded a team.
Team captain James Lawson says he hopes the British public will get behind the team "in a big way". "After all, our chosen sport has all the intensity, drama and excitement of a Rugby World Cup and the team I've put together is determined to carry the trophy home."
Mr Lawson added that RPS is a skill-based game with two halves to it. "First there's the physical side, actually getting the throws out, and on the other side is the psychological game," he said. "It's about working out what your opponent is going to throw by doing things like looking for signs on their face."
The UK team, who are all based in London, also includes Rob Roscoe, Andrew Cumming, Will Blackwell and Dougal Kerr. They are all aged 27, with the exception of Mr Cumming, who is 28, and are all English apart from Scottish Mr Kerr.
www.ananova.com (http://www.ananova.com)