ANDREW Pagett is hoping his third EBSA European Team Championship triumph will be the catalyst for even more success this year, as well as the precursor to a possible world tour return.

The former pro says he is “tempted” to try and compete alongside snooker’s elite again, having had four previous spells mixing it with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and John Higgins.

A place on the world tour for the 2018/19 season would be Pagett’s aim, and he could make that a reality by going all the way at November’s World Amateur Championship in Malta.

The Blackwood potter, 35, who reached the Crucible six years ago, was runner-up to Iran’s Soheil Vahedi in 2016 following an 8-1 defeat in the final.

But before heading to the Mediterranean island this autumn, the Welshman has several other big events to get his teeth into.

First up is the World Games in Wroclaw, Poland at the end of July, with Pagett and 15 other cuemen battling it out for gold, silver and bronze medals.

The World Games were first held in 1981 and feature sports that are not contested at the Olympic Games, such as snooker, tug of war, korfball and sumo wrestling.

Immediately after returning from Poland, Pagett and playing partner Alex Taubman travel to Egypt for the IBSF World Team Championships.

That comes on the back of the duo’s European Team Championship victory in Albania on Sunday – Pagett also won the event in 2007 and 2010.

Reflecting on his and Taubman’s 2017 success, Pagett said: “The toughest game was the semi-final against Israel.

“I was on the back foot after Alex lost the first frame, and I went 40 points down in the second, but I managed to win it and we were level at 1-1 instead of 2-0 down.

“From there we played a good doubles frame and just ground them down after that to go through 4-1.

“We played really well against Ireland in the final and I made a 56 break to seal it 5-0.

“We reached the quarter-finals last year but we won it this time, and now we want to try and win the World Team Championship in Egypt.”

He added: “I’ve also got the World Games just before that and it would be great to come back with a medal.

“I’ll be representing the International Billiards & Snooker Federation in Pol-and because I was runner-up at last year’s world championships.

“It should be an amazing experience, and it’s just medals on offer, no prize money.”

On a possible return to snooker main tour, Pagett continued: “I’m tempted.

“I’ve got a couple of people keen to help me financially and I know I can do well, it’s just more about the travelling.

“The biggest reason I didn’t want to do it before was because of the travelling every week.

“I’d done it for 10 years and thought that was enough, but I think I’m going to give it another go.

“I could get there through the world or European amateur championships, and there is also Q School.”

Meanwhile, Cwm’s Mark Williams and Pontycymer’s Ryan Day will represent Wales at the World Cup in Wuxi, China, which runs from July 3-9.

China’s Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao are set to defend the title they won in 2015.