Brough will lead the Bravehearts
SCOTLAND’S most-capped player Danny Brough will lead the Bravehearts in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Huddersfield Giants half-back Brough, who will be joined by clubmate second rower Dale Ferguson and former Giant Ryan Brierley, will captain a Scotland squad which will feature seven uncapped players.
With injuries ruling out NRL Grand Finalists Lachlan Coote (ankle) and Kane Linnett (elbow) of North Queensland Cowboys, Leigh Centurions hooker Liam Hood (knee), Penrith Panthers pivot Peter Wallace (broken ribs and hand) and long-term injured Euan Aitken (shoulder) and Billy McConnochie (ACL), head coach Steve McCormack has turned to a clutch of up and coming talents from the NRL and stalwarts of the Scotland scene.
Forward James Bell of NZ Warriors, Sydney Roosters’ Jarred Anderson, and Penrith Panthers’ centre or wing Lachlan Stein are included for the first time, as are Bradford Bulls’ youngster Brandan Wilkinson and Shane Toal – who scored 28 tries for Barrow in their promotion campaign – both of whom came through the Scotland Under 19 pathway.
“It’s just reward for those players,” said McCormack.
“Brandan has played nearly every week in the Championship for Bradford in difficult circumstances this year and has developed massively.
“And Shane has been a stand-out in League One and topped it all by scoring the try that got Barrow promoted last week. They are proof that there is talent coming through our pathway.”
It will be the youngest squad Scotland have sent to a World Cup, with three 20-year-olds, (Wilkinson, Anderson and Hull KR forward Kieran Moran, an uncapped member of last year’s squad), 21-year-olds Stein and Toal, and three more players aged 23 or under.
“It is a young squad but that’s exciting, too,” admitted McCormack.
“When we took our youngest ever team to play in France two years ago, I said some of them would be on the plane to Australia and a lot of them will be on Sunday.
“Alex Walker (age 22) has been outstanding for London Broncos this season, week-in, week-out and Lewis Tierney (who has just turned 23) was one of Catalans’ best players.”