One of the top-seeded teams going into the Overwatch World Cup this upcoming weekend is Team United Kingdom. A team that defied expectations last year, Team UK is expected to bring the same amount of heat this year. With a familiar roster of superstars at the helm, The 7 Lions are ready to take on BlizzCon by storm.
As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The players on Team UK this year are all familiar faces for Overwatch fans. The boys that brought home fourth place last year are returning to California to bring home the gold. Step aside Canada, China, and South Korea. This year, Team UK isn’t settling for anything less than the number one seed.
Breaking Down The Team: DPS
At the front of the team, fans will welcome two familiar faces. Finley “Kyb” Adisi and Kai “KSP” Collins lead the attack in their respective damage roles. Fans will remember Kyb from his time in the Overwatch League this past year. Kyb got to show his skills with the Guangzhou Charge at the beginning of the year. A trade negotiated with the Philadelphia Fusion saw him switching teams. Recently, The Fusion released Kyb, and he’s currently a free agent. Despite the fact that Kyb didn’t get to shine too much by the end of the year, he’s still got plenty of talent to show off on the World Cup stage.
KSP is still currently in Contenders. Last year, KSP was playing on the Samsung Morning Stars in European Contenders. After the World Cup, he moved onto XL2, the academy team of the NYXL. KSP showed incredible skill and gameplay throughout Contenders, despite XL2’s defeat at The Gauntlet to Atlanta Academy. Together, Kyb and KSP return to deliver another show-stopping performance. With a large hero pool between them and an interesting meta for those who play damage heroes, fans are sure to see some interesting strategies from this top ten team.
Breaking Down The Team: Tanks
After a turbulent year in the Overwatch League, British main tank Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth makes his triumphant return to Team UK. Known for his immensely high skill play last year, Fusions got to show the world his best during a Reinhardt heavy meta. After the Boston Uprising released their main tank, Young-jin “Gamsu” Noh, Fusions took up the mantle full time. His leadership and shotcalling skills earned Boston some much-deserved wins during the first half of the season. Fusions got a chance to show the League his skills, despite an otherwise shaky season for the Uprising. The World Cup will give him another well-deserved shot at victory.
Alongside Fusions is his regular British tank partner, offtank Eoghan “Smex” O’Neill. Smex was previously a player for NRG Esports. Recently, before season 2 of American Contenders, Smex joined the Montreal Rebellion, the academy team of the Toronto Defiant. The Rebellion ended with a 4-3 record, putting them at the same level as Triumph and Second Wind. Alongside Fusions’ aggressive gameplay, Smex is able to hold his own, and support his team. In a post-GOATs world, fans can expect to see a lot of Sigma and Orisa play from these two.
Breaking Down The Team: Supports
With the current 2-2-2 lock in place, Team UK has decided to bring along three support players this time around. Two of these faces are familiar to fans, while one is making his Team UK debut. Issac “Boombox” Charles joins Team UK once more. Boombox is currently signed under contract with his team of two years, the Philadelphia Fusion. The Fusion went to Grand Finals last year, losing to the London Spitfire in the end. This time around, the Fusion still made their way into playoffs. They met an early fate, however, and their postseason was cut short. Despite that, Boombox still continues to be one of the most consistent players on that team. His flex support skills are admirable, and his ability to thrive in every meta makes him stand out among the rest.
Alongside Boombox is British main support Harrison “Kruise” Pond. Shortly after his 2018 World Cup performance, Kruise was signed to the Overwatch League. He became a member of the new Paris Eternal, a team of mostly European talent. The Eternal struggled to find their footing in a GOATs heavy world, and Paris ended their season on a bittersweet note. However, Kruise’s gameplay was a spectacle to admire. His Lucio play is high risk, high reward. In tandem, his ability to learn and play the new support, Baptiste, at high levels is incredible. Kruise is one of the stronger players from the Eternal’s roster, and playing on Team UK gives him another chance to go for the gold.
Joining Boombox and Kruise is the main support from Atlanta Academy, Daniel “FunnyAstro” Hathaway. After a very successful season with British Hurricane, FunnyAstro moved on and obtained a two-way contract with the Atlanta Reign, and their academy team, Atlanta Academy. Though he didn’t see much stage time during the 2019 season of the Overwatch League, both the Atlanta Reign and Atlanta Academy had incredibly successful seasons. Therefore, it makes sense that FunnyAstro joined the team as a third support. Though Kruise also plays main support, it’s never a bad idea to have more players at the ready, just in case. Certain players shine on certain maps, and with certain heroes. This gives Team UK a tactical advantage and another shot at climbing to the top.
Looking Forward: Predictions for Success
Overall, the odds are stacked in Team UK’s favor. They’re a favorite to go all the way, and they certainly have the chops to do so. With a nearly identical roster from last year, they’ve allowed their raw talent to become more refined over the last year. That, combined with incredible teamwork, should certainly bid them a spot in the semi-finals.
Team UK’s chances were shattered last year by a scary Team Canada, who took a 3-2 victory over them. This year, if they can manage to hold their own against the Canadian powerhouses, Team UK could find themselves going all the way. As an overall top ten team, they still need to fight through the quarterfinals to ensure that they’ve secured their spot. However, fans shouldn’t be nervous about this weekend. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, Team UK should be finishing within the top five once more. This year, it’s coming home. #LANimals
Featured Image Courtesy of the Team UK twitter.
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