Seven heaven for Aussie debutants
KANGAROOS coach Mal Meninga will give seven players their first taste of life in the green and gold after opting to rest his grand final stars for the Australian side’s World Cup opener against Fiji on Sunday morning.
Fullback James Tedesco will captain the Kangaroos in a squad shorn of Penrith and Parramatta players, leaving Daly Cherry-Evans with first shot at the halfback position and Cameron Murray in his preferred spot at lock.
Meninga is also set to replicate the Queensland game plan of starting Ben Hunt at hooker, with Harry Grant to be injected into the game from the interchange bench.
Grant is among the seven new faces who will make their Australian debuts as the Kangaroos kick off their World Cup defence in Leeds.
Five others were his teammates in the Maroons outfit that won the State of Origin series – Murray Taulagi, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Jeremiah Nanai, Reuben Cotter and Pat Carrigan.
Roosters and NSW back rower Angus Crichton is the other player who will make his national debut against Fiji.
“This is an extremely strong team and suits what we are trying to achieve over the whole tournament,” Meninga said.
“We have three pool matches and I aim to play every player during the pool matches. The grand final players will not play against Fiji, while a number of the players we have named have not played in weeks.
“It’s important to give them match time as we look at our combinations. All of the players who will not play against Fiji will play the next match against Scotland.”
Penrith stars Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin will feature against Scotland. So too Parramatta prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard. South Sydney centre Campbell Graham, who was set to play for Scotland at the World Cup before being selected in the Kangaroos squad, will also feature against the land of his father’s birth next week.
Canterbury star Matt Burton has been named 18th man, meaning he is likely to debut against Scotland.
The Fijian squad is headlined by grand-final stars Maika Sivo, Api Koroisau and Viliame Kikau. Roosters teenager Siua Wong, earmarked by Canterbury head of football Phil Gould as the game’s next big thing, could also feature for the Fijian side.
Titans skipper Fa’asuamaleaui will fulfil a childhood dream when he takes to the field on Sunday.
He recalled waking up at the crack of dawn at his family home in Gympie to watch previous Kangaroos tours.
“I used to wake up so early to watch the Kangaroos play. Now I am that guy that the young kids will get up to watch. It’s pretty cool. I can’t wait to put the jersey on and hopefully do the country proud,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“My main memory was begging Dad to make sure he woke me up early.”