Would you really be surprised to hear that , for example , in a final match of the trials between two 4 handed teams a top level pair played less than their top level game, when they knew in advance (because they agreed with the other team , or just assumed that would happen) they would be in the national team in any case? (either by winning , or by losing and being selected as 3rd pair by their opps). Don't you think a pair might play less than their best (even if not deliberately) when they know they will be selected whatever the outcome of the match? How do you think their teammates might feel , when they hear 2 hours after they lost the final , that their teammates have actually joined the winners, and that was discussed or assumed in advance?