England finished a disappointing third in the home international series in Belfast, where the rink, skipped by Wiltshire's Graham Shadwell, suffered two heavy defeats and tied their match against Wales.

Team manager John Smerdon reluctantly rested Bridgwater BCL star Neil Kunc and Leicestershire's Chris Rodgers for the last game against Scotland, but the changes did not produce the results he was looking for as the Scots powered home for a 131-109 victory.

Ireland duly won the British team title for the third time in five years, keeping their scoresheet clean against Scotland, England and Wales.

Gloucestershire have made wholesale changes for next weekend's Middleton Cup clash with Wiltshire, which the selectors regard as a chance to experiment, now that the county's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals have vanished.

Newcomers include: John Heathcote (Wotton-under-Edge), Ian Gauld (Olveston), Mark Perry (Cheltenham), Colin Luton (G B Britton), Richard Young (Fairford) and Matt Brain (Northwick), along with Frampton duo Lee Eliott and Tom Griffiths and Stroud pair Rob Poulter and Dave Fletcher.

Middleton Cup – 4 July – Gloucestershire team to play Wiltshire at Chippenham, Rink 1: J Heathcote, I Gauld, K Hinder, P Bryant. Rink 2: M Perry, P Nelmes, J Roach, M Woodbridge. Rink 3: C Roach, C Luton, G Wilkins, A Taylor. Rink 4: R Poulter, R Bird, L Elliott, T Griffiths. Rink 5: R Young, M Brain, D Fletcher, N Cansdale. Rink 6: J Dyer, T Hughes, L Peacock, S Wiltshire. Reserves: A Binnie, M Mayhew, G Phillips.

Men's home international series in Belfast, Ireland bt Scotland 137-102 – Rink scores (Ireland skips first): N Graham 23, J Aitken 20; J Ross 20, A Marshall 20; C Craig 28, W W Wood 9; G McCloy 21, D Peacock 13; N Booth 22, G Logan 20; A Montgomery 23, I Campbell 20.

England bt Wales 113-105 – Rink scores (England skips first): S Farish 19, M Weaver 16; J Chestney 26, R Weale 10; S Tolchard 18, M Wyatt 26; G Shadwell 17, J Tomlinson 17; R Newman 15, W Thomas 20; M Walton 18, J Greenslade 16.

Ireland bt England 117-105 – Rink scores (Ireland skips first): Booth 26, Newman 16; Montgomery 16, Walton 18; Graham 15, Farish 21; Ross 14, Chestney 16; Craig 12, Tolchard 26; McCloy 34, Shadwell 8.

Scotland bt Wales 136-117 – Rink scores (Scotland skips first): Logan 24, Thomas 14; Campbell 17, Greenslade 18; Aitken 17, Weaver 20; Marshall 19, Weale 22; Wood 26, Wyatt 25; Peacock 33, Tomlinson 18.

Scotland bt England 131-109 – Rink scores (Scotland skips first): Wood 18, Tolchard 33; Peacock 23, Shadwell 13; Logan 20, Newman 22; Campbell 31, Walton 9; Aitken 17, Farish 16; Marshall 22, Chestney 16.

Ireland bt Wales 109-96 – Rink scores (Ireland skips first): Craig 17, Wyatt 14; McCloy 18, Tomlinson 14; Booth 20, Thomas 12; Montgomery 20, Greenslade 11; Graham 18, Weaver 20; Ross 16, Weale 25.

Final standings: 1 Ireland 8pts; 2 Scotland 4pts; 3 England 2pts; 4 Wales 0pts.