Alliance Witan sponsors the Association Croquet England Team
Croquet England are delighted to announce the new partnership formed to support the 2026 World Team Championship England Team.
England will be hosting the 2026 Association Croquet World Team Championship, from 24th July to 9th August. The four best Association Croquet countries in the world will compete in the top tier for the MacRobertson Shield in the centenary holding of the event, with twelve more countries competing in three other tiers.
The four countries represented in the top tier of the Championship are Australia, England, New Zealand and the USA. The first tests will be played at The Roehampton Club where it all began in 1925, when England played Australia for the first time. England won the Shield which had been donated by the Australian confectionery maker, Sir Macpherson Robertson.
England are the reigning World Team Champions, having brought home the title in 2022 when the tournament was last held, in Australia.
Samir Patel, Chair of Croquet England’s Board of Trustees, said “I’m delighted to welcome Alliance Witan as sponsor of the England Team for the 2026 Centenary MacRobertson Shield. We are confident that this partnership will enhance the event itself, and enable more publicity and investment in our sport.”
The Hurlingham Club will be co-hosting the first tests alongside The Roehampton Club, and will also be the venue of the next England squad training session in September.
Mark Atkinson, Investor Relations Manager for Alliance Witan, said:
“Like investing, deciding which croquet shot to play requires careful balancing of risk and reward as well as adapting to changing conditions. And both disciplines benefit from taking the long view—patience is essential for the best results.”
Chris Clarke, Chair of Croquet England MacRobertson Shield Selectors, writes:
CqE will be holding a MacRobertson Squad training weekend at Hurlingham on 13-14th September. The Squad has a wide range of experience ranging from young players like Jack Good (19) through to current World Champion, Robert Fulford (55). This will be the final meeting of the Squad before the AC Worlds in Florida this October. CqE expect to name the 6 members of the England MacRobertson Shield Team in late November and look forward to attempting to retain the Shield next July and August in England.
England Squad:
Mark Avery [Suffolk]
Robin Brown [Berkshire]
Jamie Burch [Surrey]
Euan Burridge [Nottinghamshire]
James Death [Nottinghamshire]
Marcus Evans [Somerset]
Harry Fisher [Middlesex]
Robert Fulford [Essex]
Jack Good [Lancashire]
Gabrielle Higgins [Middlesex]
Nick Parish [Middlesex]
Samir Patel (2022 Team Captain) [Surrey]
Mark Suter [Gloucestershire]
Aston Wade [Essex]
Jordan Waters [Oxfordshire]
