Thursday, October 28, 2010

Trio set to make England debuts

Four Nations - Australia v England
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne Date: Sunday, 31 October Time: 0745 GMT
Coverage: Live coverage on BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Sport website and Sky Sports 1, highlights on BBC Two and online at 1705 GMT


Leroy Cudjoe
Cudjoe comes in after the injury to Michael Shenton

England will field three new caps against Australia in Sunday's Four Nations game in Melbourne.

Huddersfield duo Shaun Lunt and Leroy Cudjoe and Warrington's Ben Harrison all come in after last weekend's 24-10 loss to New Zealand.

Full-back Gareth Widdop and stand-off Kevin Brown are dropped, while centre Michael Shenton is unavailable.

Sam Tomkins is named at full-back with Wigan team-mate Sean O'Loughlin at stand-off and Sam Burgess at prop.

Luke Robinson gets his first full cap at scrum-half after being on the bench last week while his Huddersfield team-mate Eorl Crabtree replaces another Giants prop Darrell Griffin on the bench.

Cudjoe is a straight replacement for Shenton, who was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury while hooker Lunt and forward Harrison will win their first caps from the bench.

Lunt, who finished the season playing for his club in the second row, said: "It's unreal to think that two, two-and-a-half years ago I was at Workington Town.

606: DEBATE

"Now I am here on the verge of making my England debut, it's crazy."

Harrison, who switched his allegiance from Ireland a year ago, said: "I am still a little overwhelmed by it all. But I am looking forward to it.

"It's a dream come true. I grew up watching rugby and my Dad taking me to the Tri Nations. Now to be out there on the pitch will be just brilliant."

McNamara was forced to defend claims by one Australian journalist that England are in disarray ahead of Sunday's must-win game.

"I can't believe that comment, it's far from that," he stated.

"We've one enforced change through injury and we've three players who have missed out and three who come in, it's as simple as that.

"We've selected what we think is the right team to play Australia and we're pretty comfortable with what we've got.

"There are some young boys who didn't play in the first two games that have been extremely good and are ready to play."

Australia coach Tim Sheens has named an unchanged side for the game after the Kangaroos beat Papua New Guinea 42-0 last weekend.

Second rower Anthony Watmough and centre Brent Tate have overcome groin and neck injuries while St George Illawarra pair Dean Young and Darius Boyd have been added to an extended bench.

Captain Darren Lockyer is set to win his 53rd Test cap.


England: S Tomkins (Wigan); D Goulding (Wigan), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull); S O'Loughlin (Wigan), L Robinson(Huddersfield); J Graham (St Helens, capt), J Roby (St Helens), S Burgess (South Sydney), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).
Subs: S Lunt (Huddersfield), S Fielden (Wigan), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington).

Australia: B Slater (Melbourne); B Morris (St George Illawarra), B Tate (NZ Warriors), W Tonga (North Queensland), L Tuqiri (Wests Tigers); D Lockyer (Brisbane, capt), C Cronk (Melbourne); N Myles (Sydney Roosters), C Smith (Melbourne), P Civoniceva (Penrith), L Lewis (Penrith), S Thaiday (Brisbane), P Gallen (Cronulla).
Subs: D Shillington (Canberra), T Learoyd-Lars (Canberra), A Watmough (Manly), K Gidley (Newcastle).

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