Smith opens door to fringe players

Smith opens door to fringe players

England coach Tony Smith will dangle a carrot in front of his World Cup stand-by contingent when they take on Wales at Doncaster tomorrow night.

The Gillette Fusion international has been arranged primarily as a warm-up match for the World Cup squad but, with players from Grand Finalists Leeds Rhinos and St Helens given a much-needed rest, the England team will include eight members of Smith’s discarded train-on squad.

But Smith insists they are not just making up the numbers and that one of more of them could yet be handed a trip to Australia in the event of injury to his 24-man first-choice squad.

“I would hate for anybody to rule themselves out because all those who aren’t travelling are in with a show of being on stand-by,” he said.

“I’d pick the appropriate person if someone fell out of the squad so it’s imperative that they put their hand up both in training and in the game.”

There will be a significant London presence in the England team at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Harlequins captain Rob Purdham will make his first full appearance for England, having previously represented his country in the Federation Shield, while prop Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook and centre Tony Clubb, who are both graduates of the London development system, will both make their international debuts.

There is also a place for Huddersfield Giants’ Oxford-born prop Darrell Griffin, who came through London Broncos’ academy system before moving north.

Other debutants include Castleford Tigers centre Michael Shenton and Salford City Reds’ 18-year-old scrum-half Richard Myler, the National League One young player of the year.

The side will be captained by Warrington Wolves centre Martin Gleeson, one of eight members of Smith’s World Cup squad who will get the chance to gain much-needed match fitness before Monday’s departure for Brisbane.

England: S Briscoe (Hull KR); P Fox (Hull KR), M Shenton (Castleford Tigers), P Sykes (Bradford Bulls), M Calderwood (Wigan Warriors); M Gleeson (Warrington Wolves, capt), R Myler (Salford City Reds); S Fielden (Wigan Warriors), M Higham (Wigan Warriors), L McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), G Hock (Wigan Warriors), B Westwood (Warrington Wolves), R Purdham (Harlequins).

Replacements: D Hodgson (Huddersfield Giants), J Langley (Bradford Bulls), D Griffin (Huddersfield Giants), T Clubb (Harlequins).