England name exciting 22-man squad to face the Exiles

[josie andrews]

England have named a 22-man squad rich in experience and potential for the forthcoming CarPlan International Origin Match against the Exiles at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds, on Friday June 10.

England coach Steve McNamara has kept faith with the core of the squad involved in last year's Four Nations tournament with 15 players who travelled to Australia and New Zealand included in a group which will go into camp on Sunday evening.

The seven players who did not feature Down Under include Jamie Peacock, the Leeds Rhinos prop and his club captain Kevin Sinfield, both of whom missed the trip through injury, and Huddersfield Giants scrum-half Danny Brough, who is the only uncapped player in McNamara's squad.

Brough, who represented Scotland in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, has been in outstanding form for the Giants in 2011 and has earned his selection on merit, according to McNamara.

"His form has been there for all to see, he brings a lot of qualities to Huddersfield and I'm looking forward to him offering those qualities to England," said McNamara, who admitted he has faced a host of selection headaches in reducing the pool of talent at his disposal to just 22.

"There are considerably more than 22 players in the Engage Super League whose current form could justify England selection, which testifies to the high standard of the competition.

"Even without injured players such as Leon Pryce, Ben Jones Bishop and Ben Harrison and the NRL-based players Gareth Ellis, Sam Burgess and Gareth Widdop, we have been able to select a squad which is both experienced and packed full of potential.

"It's a very pleasing situation to be in. The best Rugby League teams have competition for places in every position and that's exactly what we have.

"The depth of talent is starting to look better than it has been for a long, long time and with increasing numbers of high quality players emerging through the ranks at every Super League club it can only get better."

McNamara has welcomed back to the England fold Jamie Jones Buchanan, Jon Wilkin, Richie Myler and Chris Bridge, all of whom have impressed the national coach with their form at club level.

All 22 players will join the England camp at Loughborough University next Sunday. McNamara will reduce his squad to 18 for the International Origin Match next Wednesday, at which point the four players not involved will rejoin their clubs.

In a unique concept to British sport, England will play an Exiles team comprising the best Australian and New Zealand players in Engage Super League that has been chosen in part by the public. The fans have chosen 13 of the 22 squad members to face England and the remaining nine selections will be made by the Exiles coach, Brian McClennan, and his assistant Terry Matterson. The Exiles coaching staff will confirm their final 22-man squad at a press conference on Thursday.

Pre-purchased tickets for the CarPlan International Origin Match start from £19 for adults and £12 concessions and are available at www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.ukor by contacting the RFL Ticket Office on 0844 856 1113. Tickets purchased on the day of the match start from £22 for adults and £15 for concessions.



England's 22-man squad for the CarPlan International Origin Match in full is (professional and community clubs in brackets):

Ryan Atkins (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)

Chris Bridge (Warrington Wolves, Waterhead)

Tom Briscoe (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)

Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants, Thornhill Trojans)

Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)

Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield Giants, Huddersfield YMCA)

Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants, Newsome Panthers)

James Graham (St Helens, Blackbrook)

Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)

Jamie Jones-Buchanan (Leeds Rhinos, Stanningley)

Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves, Eccles)

Richard Myler (Warrington Wolves, Halton West Bank)

Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)

Jamie Peacock (Leeds Rhinos, Stanningley)

Luke Robinson (Huddersfield Giants, Siddal)

James Roby (St Helens, Blackbrook)

Michael Shenton (St Helens, Upton)

Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos, Waterhead)

Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)

Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)

Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves, Normanton Knights)

Jon Wilkin (St Helens, East Hull)


http://therfl.co.uk/news/article/englan ... -man-squad

[josie andrews]

No Mossop!!!

Mind you, what do you expect from a spineless coach who will continue to pick the likes of Peacock, Sinfield, Westwood etc when they're all retired :sly:

[josie andrews]

We have six players from our club playing in this game.

Lockers & both the Tomkins for England

George, Pat & Tommy for the "Exiles"

[cpwigan]

Sounds awful but the less players we have that have to suffer McNamara the better. One or two very odd selections.

[Kittwazzer]

I thought it was max r from each team? Wire have 6 in England squad! I'm with CP, prefer none of our lads to be involved. My priority is Cas away 2 days later!

[Wes]

Do you think we will see some of our youngsters step up for the cas game? Dont we have 3 on the exiles too, that would be 6 players playing 3 games in 8 days, TBH 6 wire being selected is fine with me how many do they have on exiles the more the merrier!

[josie andrews]

Do you think we will see some of our youngsters step up for the cas game? Dont we have 3 on the exiles too, that would be 6 players playing 3 games in 8 days, TBH 6 wire being selected is fine with me how many do they have on exiles the more the merrier!

See my above post

[josie andrews]

Sounds awful but the less players we have that have to suffer McNamara the better. One or two very odd selections.

I don't want any of our players being subjected to McNamara's coaching :sly:

I thought it was max r from each team? Wire have 6 in England squad! I'm with CP, prefer none of our lads to be involved. My priority is Cas away 2 days later!

Me too, Castleford will have a full squad who will not have played any rep rugby. I'm sure our lads are fit enough to back up at Cas!!

But this should never have been the case in the first place if the RFL had an inkling of common sense :with:

[Kittwazzer]

Don't know how many tickets they've sold for this shindig, but I bet the RFL would have grossed more if our ball had come out of the bag first!

[Wes]

HE'S PICKED CARVELL!!!!!?????? An 'exciting' squad and he's picked f-ing GARETH CARVELL!!
How on earth is that going to help the England side? I can understand having Peacock, Morley and Graham; even Crabtree because he's a dangerous player, but what is the point in picking an old timer like Carvell ahead of someone like LMS, Mossop, Watts or Prescott?

Is it all about being in the coaches phone book ?!?!?

IMO JJB, Morley, Myler, Peacock, Robinson, Wilkin NOT good enough Carvell and Westwood Im 50/50 (Although Westwood is doing it at club level lately still not an international IMO)

Mason, Griffin, Mossop, Preccy, and Lunt overlooked!