Stevens, who plays in division one of the Ballarat Eight Ball Association, has finally been given the nod after being part of a successful Victorian side which has won two of the past three national titles.

In total, the 33-year-old has played at six national titles for his state.

Stevens rates his team successes over individual accolades and is hoping for more of the same when he visits the Old Dart for the two-week tournament.

"I've made the quarter-finals in the Australian singles the last two years, but even if I'd won the Australian singles it's not near the buzz you get winning a team event because when you go away to wherever

it is you go you build a real camaraderie with your team-mates," he said.

"And it's such a good feeling cheering and supporting, feeling the pressure, watching your team-mates out there doing the same job you're trying to do.

"When you get the victory at the end it's awesome - there's no better feeling.

"The highlight for me is definitely winning the national titles with a team.

"Hopefully we can go to England and do the same there."

And he is not expecting to get much time for sight-seeing when he is there.

"From what I've been told it's pretty flat out," Stevens said.

"You're playing most of the time, so don't get much of a chance to leave.

"If you don't make the finals in singles or open teams and you choose not to watch the matches, you can go and do some stuff."

It was Stevens' love of computer games that got him involved in the sport when he was 16.

"When I was in high school I had a friend who had a pool table and I liked playing the game but I was absolutely terrible at it - I couldn't even hold the pool cue.

"I've always been a computer game head and years ago, when Electrofun used to be open, I'd go down there to play games and a couple of guys got me playing pool.