Veteran Mick Cassidy, who played for England in the 1995 World Cup, has been named in the Ireland squad for this year's tournament.
Former England player earns Australia trip
Veteran Mick Cassidy, who played for England in the 1995 World Cup, has been named in the Ireland squad for this year's tournament.
The 35-year-old Wigan forward, who helped Barrow win promotion from National League Two this year, was included in coach Andy Kelly's final 24-man squad for the trip Down Under.
There are three products of the Irish domestic league in Ross Barbour, Steve Gibbons and Wayne Kerr, and players with extensive Super League experience in Pat Richards, Simon Finnigan, Gareth Haggerty, Stuart Littler and Karl Fitzpatrick.
Wests Tigers winger Shannon McDonnell and prop Brett White, who played for Melbourne in Sunday's Grand Final defeat by Manly, have also been included with Wakefield full-back Scott Grix and Bob Beswick and Stuart Littler sharing captaincy duties.
Ruled out through injury were Wigan prop Paul Prescott (back) and Warrington duo Chris Bridge (Achilles) and Simon Grix (shoulder), with Sheffield Eagles' Ged Corcoran earning a late call-up.
Squad: Ross Barbour (Carlow Crusaders), Bob Beswick (Widnes), Damien Blanch (Wakefield), Mick Cassidy (Barrow), Ged Corcoran (Sheffield), Lee Doran (Leigh), Liam Finn (Dewsbury), Simon Finnigan (Bradford), Karl Fitzpatrick (Salford), Steve Gibbons (London Skolars), Sean Gleeson (Wakefield), Scott Grix (Wakefield), Gareth Haggerty (Harlequins), Ben Harrison (Warrington), Graham Holroyd (Halifax), Wayne Kerr (London Skolars), Stuart Littler (Salford), Shannon McDonnell (Wests Tigers), Michael McIlorum (Wigan), Eamon O'Carroll (Wigan), Michael Platt (Bradford), Pat Richards (Wigan), Ryan Tandy (Wests Tigers), Brett White (Melbourne Storm).
