Clubb picked for country

Duo the surprise names on initial World Cup list

Last updated: 9th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Clubb picked for country

Clubb: Selected for country

Also see

England coach Tony Smith has included Harlequins centre Tony Clubb and Huddersfield prop Darrell Griffin in his initial World Cup squad for the tournament in Australia.

Smith has made the two surprise inclusions in the initial train-on squad of 13, which will be added to as the big teams exit the Super League play-offs.

Clubb, 21, and 27-year-old former Wildcat Griffin are two of the men from the six teams already eliminated from the Super League picture.

The Giants of Huddersfield have two more players included in Smith's squad in former Wigan wingers Martin Aspinwall and David Hodgson.

Clubb has Quins team-mates Rob Purdham, who captained England to a Federation Shield triumph two years ago, and prop Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook also involved.

Inclusions

Two Great Britain internationals from Hull have been included by Smith in winger Gareth Raynor and prop Garreth Carvell.

Castleford Tigers duo Michael Shenton and Joe Westerman are expected inclusions along with Wakefield centre Ryan Atkins and Hull KR duo Peter Fox and Shaun Briscoe.

The 13 players will take part in regular training under Smith until the players from the six play-off teams start to join.

Smith will then name his final 24-man squad on October 7.

The England coach is without forwards Sam Burgess of Bradford and Wigan's Sean O'Loughlin as they have already been ruled out of the World Cup through injury.

England launch their World Cup bid against Papua New Guinea in Townsville on October 25 but, before they depart, have a warm-up game against Wales at Doncaster on October 10.