Scotland take young squad to World Cup

Scotland have seven uncapped players in their World Cup squad including brothers Kane and Andrew Bentley, who previously played for France.

Long-serving coach Steve McCormack will take the youngest Scotland squad to a World Cup, with three 20-year-olds – Brandan Wilkinson (Bradford), Jarred Anderson (Sydney Roosters) and Kieran Moran (Hull KR) – facing a baptism of fire in a group containing the Pacific heavyweights Tonga and Samoa as well as co-hosts New Zealand.

The Bravehearts held the Kiwis to an 18-18 draw in their last match, a dramatic Four Nations clash in Workington last November, but will have just 10 survivors from that game following a spate of withdrawals.

Already without Leeds prop Keith Galloway, St George Illawarra centre Euan Aitken and Penrith hooker Peter Wallace, Scotland lost NRL grand finalists Lachlan Coote and Kane Linnett (North Queensland Cowboys) with ankle and elbow injuries and Leigh hooker Liam Hood, who needs a knee operation.

They are also hit by the absence of former Hull KR prop Adam Walker, who was withdrawn from the train-on squad after testing positive for cocaine, while centre Joe Wardle is unavailable for family reasons, having just returned from Australia to join Castleford.

New Zealand Warriors forward James Bell and Penrith three-quarter Lachlan Stein are among the new faces, while McCormack can call on Super League experience in the shape of wingers Matthew Russell (Warrington) and Lewis Tierney (Wigan), St Helens prop Luke Douglas and skipper Danny Brough, Scotland’s most-capped player from Huddersfield.

“It is a young squad but that’s exciting, too,” said 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.”

Scotland fly to Brisbane on Sunday and play New South Wales Country on October 20 to prepare for their opening pool B game against Tonga in Cairns on October 29.