KARL Boyes of Bradford and Darren Appleton (Pontefract) bid to become the first pair to successfully defend the £160,000 World Cup of Pool in London next week.

But competition will be tough for the England A duo from West Yorkshire as several former winners and finalists are among their 31 rival partnerships at the famous York Hall in Bethnal Green on September 22-27.

Among their foes in the event, which will be televised live on Sky Sports, are 2011 champions Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet (Germany) and 2012 winners Mika Immonen and Petri Makkonen (Finland).