2014 Four Nations: England v Samoa preview

Steve McNamara’s England side will aim to get their Four Nations campaign off to a winning start when they lock horns with Samoa in Brisbane on Saturday.

It will be England's first match since their agonising 20-18 defeat against New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final at Wembley and is part of a double header that sees world champions Australia take on the Kiwis in the second game at Suncorp Stadium.

There are a number of notable absences from the England team that reached the final four of the World Cup on home soil, with former captain Kevin Sinfield, rugby union-bound Sam Burgess, Leroy Cudjoe, James Roby and Ben Westwood all departing the international stage.

Sam Burgess’ time in rugby league has come to climax in thrilling fashion, winning the NRL Grand Final with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, but the Rugby League International Federation Player of the Year will not feature for England as he prepares to switch to the 15-man code.

Despite bowing out, Burgess was on hand to present England new caps Joe Westerman, Matty Smith, Josh Hodgson and Daryl Clark their shirts and provide inspiration to the next generation when they arrived in Australia.

"He presented me with my shirt, which was a big honour for me," said Hull loose forward Westerman. "Growing up, I played against him.

"He has always been an awesome player but to do what he did in the Grand Final and pretty much all his career, it was amazing, it was a real proud moment for me.

"He gave a lot of advice to the group and everybody took it on board. It was a bit emotional for him, he wishes he was out there playing with us."

Westerman, 24, will make his England debut in place of injured skipper Sean O'Loughlin, his room-mate during England's week-long camp.

McNamara opted for Westerman as a straight replacement for the newly-appointed skipper, who is expected to be fit for England's next match against Australia in Melbourne, though, Westerman is determined to make the jersey his own.

Deputy and debutants

"Lockers is captain of the squad and one of the best loose forwards in the world but, if I play well and do all I can, then it's down to Steve depending on the squad he wants to pick,” he added.

In the absence of injured captain O’Loughlin, Canterbury Bulldogs forward James Graham deputises and will lead out an England side which boasts four debutants.

Wigan scrum-half Smith and Hull KR hooker Hodgson have made the run-on side, while Hull’s Westerman and Super League Man of Steel Clark will make their first appearances from the bench.

"We've only had nine days to get ready but we knew that from the outset," said McNamara. "The thing with this group is that they are very intelligent players and you generally only have to tell them once or twice and they pick it up.

"We've got some great combinations going. Ideally you would like to test them out in a game situation before the tournament, but I'm really confident."

Samoa, meanwhile, start the tournament without a trio of players after head coach Matt Parish was forced to omit them due to disciplinary issues.

Reni Maitua, Tautau Moga and Sauaso Sue have all been left out of the squad after it was revealed they are the subject of an NRL Integrity Unit review.

While the Australian-based trio are excluded, the Super League is represented in the form of Wakefield’s Pita Godinet and Mose Masoe, a Grand Final winner with St Helens.

Castleford Tigers fans will get a flavour of what Ben Roberts will bring to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle in 2015, with the highly-rated stand-off in the Samoa starting line-up.

England: S Tomkins (New Zealand Warriors); J Charnley (Wigan), K Watkins (Leeds), M Shenton (Castleford), R Hall (Leeds);  G Widdop (St George Illawarra), M Smith (Wigan); G Burgess (South Sydney), J Hodgson (Hull KR), J Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs, capt), L Farrell (Wigan), J Tomkins (Wigan), J Westerman (Hull)
Interchange: D Clark (Castleford), B Ferres (Huddersfield), T Burgess (South Sydney), C Hill (Warrington)

Samoa: T Simona (Wests Tigers); A Winterstein (North Queensland), R Leutele (Cronulla), J Leilua (Newcastle), D Vidot (Brisbane); B Roberts (Melbourne), K Stanley (St George Illawarra); S Tagaetese Cronulla), M Sio (New Zealand Warriors), D Fa'alogo (Newcastle), F Pritchard (Canterbury Bulldogs), L Ah Mau (St George Illawarra), J McGuire (Brisbane)
Interchange: P Godinet (Wakefield), J Sene-Lefao (Manly), I Liu (Sydney Roosters), M Masoe (St Helens)