Tierney Set for Scotland

[josie andrews]

Wigan winger Lewis Tierney named in Scotland squad for Ladbrokes Four Nations

Grand Final winner one of ten debutants in Scotland squad

Warriors Coach Education & Development Manager Steve McCormack to lead Scotland as Head Coach

Wigan winger Lewis Tierney has been named in the Scotland squad for the first time ahead of the Ladbrokes Four Nations tournament, one of ten uncapped players in the 24-man squad.

Tierney helped Wigan beat Warrington in last Saturday night’s Super League Grand Final, where he was up against future Scotland team-mate Matty Russell on the wing for Warrington. Tierney and Russell will also vie with Australian-born star Lachlan Coote, who won the World Club Championship with North Queensland Cowboys earlier this year, for the full-back role.

Coote and Tierney, son of dual-code rugby superstar Jason Robinson, are among a group of uncapped new recruits to Scotland’s cause by head coach and Warriors Coach Education & Development Manager, Steve McCormack. Newcomer Ryan Brierley could reunite with Huddersfield Giants’ club-mate Danny Brough in the halves, while Super League veteran Frankie Mariano, born in Hull with roots in Cape Verde and Scotland, makes the squad having missed two previous tournaments through injury.

With only 17 capped players playing full-time professional rugby league this year, McCormack had to spread his net. In come a group of youngsters just establishing themselves in the game. From Australia come emerging St George-Illawarra star Euan Aitkien (21), alongside Tyler Cassel (21) and Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (24) who are both yet to make their NRL debuts. In England, Tierney (22 next week) has won the Super League title in his first full season, while Widnes forward Sam Brooks (23), who was capped last season, and Hull KR prop Kieran Moran made his their Super League debuts this season.

Scotland are missing three senior figures through injury. Penrith Panthers star Wallace misses out having seriously damaged his elbow during the NRL finals requiring a six-week recovery period. Joe Wardle injured his knee playing for Huddersfield in the Qualifiers and Leeds pro, Keith Galloway ruptured his Achilles in their final game of the season.

The injury to Wardle means only eight of the squad who won the 2014 European Cup to gain qualification at the Four Nations have made the cut, although 12 of the squad who reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2013 remain, including the Phillips brothers from Workington Town. They are among nine players who spent 2016 in the Championship while six were with Super League clubs. Nine of the squad played in last year’s European Cup.

After a week at Heriot-Watt’s brand new state of the art Oriam Performance Centre, Scotland travel down to Cumbria on Friday 21 October to play a warm-up game against a Cumbrian Select XIII in Liam Harrison’s Testimonial at Barrow. They then move into their Preston training camp where they will be based throughout the tournament.

Scotland Squad for the Four Nations with age/caps

Danny Addy (Bradford Bulls, 25/11)

Euan Aitkin (St George Illawarra Dragons, 21/0)

Ryan Brierley (Huddersfield Giants, 24/0)

Sam Brooks (Widnes Vikings, 23/1)

Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants, 33/20)

Tyler Cassel (Wests Tigers, 21/0)

Lachlan Coote (North Queensland Cowboys, 26/0)

Luke Douglas (Gold Coast Titans, 30/5)

Dale Ferguson (Bradford Bulls, 28/11)

Ben Hellewell (London Broncos, 24/12)

Liam Hood (Leigh Centurions, 24/4)

Ben Kavanagh (Bradford Bulls, 28/11)

Kane Linnett (North Queensland Cowboys, 27/4)

Ryan Maneely (Halifax, 22/0)

Frankie Mariano (Castleford Tigers, 29/0)

Billy McConnachie (Ipswich Jets, 26/0)

Kieran Moran (Hull KR, 19/0)

Brett Phillips (Workington Town, 27/8)

Callum Phillips (Workington Town, 24/3)

Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (Northern Pride, 24/0)

Matthew Russell (Warrington Wolves, 23/5)

Lewis Tierney (Wigan Warriors, 22/0)

Dave Scott (Batley Bulldogs, 23/13)

Adam Walker (Hull KR, 25/11)


http://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2016- ... zvXjadR.99