Five uncapped players given chance by Britain

Abstract

Hull pair Gareth Raynor and Jamie Thackray, St Helens forwards Nick Fozzard and Jon Wilkin, and Leeds scrum-half Rob Burrow were the new faces unveiled at a press conference at the team's Manchester base.

The squad includes 12 players involved in last Saturday's Grand Final between Bradford and Leeds, with Super League leaders St Helens providing six representatives and Hull three.

Castleford and Whitehaven parted company with their coaches yesterday. Newly promoted Castleford have dispensed with the services of Australian Dave Woods just a week after he guided them back to the Super League while Steve McCormack has left Whitehaven for relegated Widnes. Whitehaven, who are claiming compensation from Widnes, are advertising for a successor.

BRIAN NOBLE, the Great Britain coach, yesterday included five uncapped players in his 24-strong squad for the Gillette Tri- Nations series, involving Australia and New Zealand.

Hull pair Gareth Raynor and Jamie Thackray, St Helens forwards Nick Fozzard and Jon Wilkin, and Leeds scrum-half Rob Burrow were the new faces unveiled at a press conference at the team's Manchester base.

Also included in the squad who fly out to Spain today for a four- day warm-weather training camp is Bradford scrum-half Paul Deacon, the only player to force his way in from outside the initial 40- strong squad.

The door opened for Deacon following the withdrawal of Leeds half- back Danny McGuire with a groin injury and lingering doubts over the fitness of St Helens scrum-half Sean Long, who is still recovering from a fractured cheekbone.

"I spoke to Sean and he is probably available but the reality is that we need to hit the ground running this year,'' Noble said.

The squad includes 12 players involved in last Saturday's Grand Final between Bradford and Leeds, with Super League leaders St Helens providing six representatives and Hull three.

Brian Carney and Stephen Wild are the sole representatives from Wigan, a far cry from 1992, when they had a record 10 players in Britain's first Test squad.

St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham, who has played only one Test in the last three years because of injury, returns.

Britain open their campaign against New Zealand at Loftus Road, home of Queens Park Rangers, a week on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Huddersfield stand-off Chris Thorman, who was named in the original party, will captain England against France at Headingley on Sunday and against New Zealand at Warrington on Nov 6.

Castleford and Whitehaven parted company with their coaches yesterday. Newly promoted Castleford have dispensed with the services of Australian Dave Woods just a week after he guided them back to the Super League while Steve McCormack has left Whitehaven for relegated Widnes. Whitehaven, who are claiming compensation from Widnes, are advertising for a successor.

Francis Stephenson, 28, the former Wakefield and Wigan prop, has joined National League One club Hull KR on a two-year contract.

Ellery Hanley, the former Great Britain captain and coach, is among four new members of the Rugby League Hall of Fame to be inducted at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, this week.

Also being inducted at a ceremony on Thursday are Eric Ashton, the former Wigan centre, the late Dougie Clark, who played for Huddersfield, and ex-Swinton forward Martin Hodgson.

GB SQUAD

NAME CLUB AGE CAPS

R BurrowLeeds230

B Carney (vice capt)Wigan298

K CunninghamSt Helens2811

P DeaconBradford268

G EllisLeeds245

S FieldenBradford2616

N FozzardSt Helens280

L GilmourSt Helens277

M GleesonWarrington2510

I HarrisBradford2912

M HighamSt Helens251

R HorneHull238

P JohnsonBradford249

A MorleySydney Roosters2817

J Peacock (capt)Bradford2714

L PryceBradford246

G RaynorHull270

K SeniorLeeds2921

K SinfieldLeeds259

J ThackrayHull260

C WalkerLeeds232

P WellensSt Helens259

S WildWigan241

J WilkinSt Helens210