Friday 6 October 2017 11:53, UK
Ex-Australia Test forward Josh Papalii has been selected in Samoa's 24-man squad for the Rugby League World Cup.
Papalii, who last represented the Kangaroos in a mid-year Test in 2016, will join a Samoa squad that also features Canberra team-mates Joey Leilua and Junior Paulo.
Papalii was born in New Zealand to parents of Samoan and Cook Islands heritage and moved as a young child to Australia, and he initially decided to represent the Kangaroos.
The 25-year-old was set to add to his eight caps for Australia after getting picked to play in their mid-year test against New Zealand, but was cut from the squad after being convicted for drink driving.
Former Hull FC forward Frank Pritchard will captain a side coached by Matt Parish, while Castleford's Ben Roberts is likely to start in the halves following an outstanding season with the Tigers.
Joseph Paulo returns to the team after captaining the United States in the 2013 World Cup.
"Despite some players being unavailable due to injury we have a very strong squad that will do Samoa proud," said Parish.
"It's a tough group but these boys have lifted before when they have put on the Samoan jersey, and there is a lot of competitiveness to gain selection."
Samoa face a Country Rugby League select side in Wagga Wagga in a warm-up game on October 13 before facing Scotland in their World Cup opener in Cairns on October 29.
Samoa are Group B along with New Zealand, Scotland and Tonga, with the top three teams in the group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Under new international eligibility rules, players can switch between tier one (Australia, New Zealand or England) and tier two countries for the World Cup if they or their parents were born in a country represented by a tier-two team.
