Meninga gambles on form but rivals wait in the wings MORGO’S OPENING CUP BID

MICHAEL Morgan is the frontrunner to win first crack at filling the boots of Johnathan Thurston as Australia’s Rugby League World Cup fiveeighth.

Morgan is set to start in Australia’s tournament opener against England in Melbourne on Friday night, but the inform Cowboys playmaker must fire to hold the position ahead of State of Origin fiveeighths Cameron Munster and James Maloney for the sudden- death matches.

“Michael has his nose in front to be honest with you,’’ Australia coach Mal Meninga said yesterday.

‘‘ He is the next in line. He has played No. 14 ( for Australia) and his back- end of the year was terrific.

‘‘ He was the form player of the NRL in the finals. Cameron Munster and James Maloney have their claims too.

‘‘ It is a long tournament so all three guys are in the mix.

“We have three great candidates who understand the big game ethos and pressure.

“All our 24 players will play in the qualifying rounds.

‘‘ I will talk to Cameron ( captain Cameron Smith) and some of the leaders and finalise the team in the next 24 hours.’’

The choice of Morgan as Cooper Cronk’s halves partner would not surprise England coach Wayne Bennett, even though Munster was fiveeighth, with Morgan centre, in Queensland’s Origin III win.

“Morgan finished the season in such great form so I suppose he’d have a leg up,’’ said Bennett, who reported no injuries from England’s warm- up match in Perth on Friday.

Smith said he would put his hand up to play all the six games Australia would play if they made the December 2 final at Suncorp Stadium.

Meninga sounded less convinced about the idea, but Smith won the conversation when he played all five games on last year’s Four Nations tour.

Smith said he did not want to travel out of the country for a semi- final in New Zealand if England finish top of the pool also including Australia.

“We want to start well in the first game and win the World Cup on home soil,’’ he said.

‘‘ I don’t have some good memories of the last one ( 2008, won by New Zealand).’’

Smith declined to comment on reports that his Storm clubmate Cooper Cronk had authorised his manager to speak to Sydney clubs about playing for one of them next year, saying it had “nothing to do with the World Cup’’.

England captain Sean O’Loughlin said his team’s ambition had to be the World Cup, which would be their country’s first trophy from a tournament involving Australia since the 1972 World Cup.

“It would be disappointing if we didn’t come here thinking that,’’ he said. “We want to make sure our performances keep getting better.

‘‘ We know it ( Friday’s game) is early in the competition and we may be a bit rusty.

“We have to do our basics really well. The top sides like Australia and New Zealand make the games come down to doing basics well.’’

O’Loughlin and hooker James Roby are the only two English players in this squad who know what it’s like to have won a Test against Australia.