Ireland and Scotland to Announce Squads

Ireland and Scotland are putting the finishing touches to the 40-man squads they are required to name on August 1 in the lead-up to the 2008 Rugby League World Cup in Australia.

Both nations, who made it through the qualifying rounds, have been combing Australia’s National Rugby League and both Britain’s Super League and Co-operative National Leagues in a bid to find stars who are qualified to represent them in the tournament, starting October 25.

And both are playing their cards very close to their chests.

Irish team manager Mike Callaghan said: “We’ve had some definite responses from some players in the NRL and that’s something special for us.

“We’ve also built up a list of players from the British Leagues. When we name the 40 it will be constructed of players who are committed to the Irish cause. We don’t want any slip-ups so we’re being very thorough.

“We’re already working with a number of players from Ireland and they’ll be given their chance. That’ll not only give them some experience of being involved in international rugby league but also prove that home-grown players have a role to play in our World Cup journey.”

Quite a number of the players being sought by both Ireland and Scotland are still going through the process of proving their qualifications.

“Our head coach Andy Kelly has just been away on holiday and now that he has returned the preparation will step up a gear,” Callaghan said.

Likewise Scotland are going through the rigorous process of asking their players to make sure that they are properly qualified.

Head coach Steve McCormack said: “We’ve virtually finished the process of making up our squad of 40.

“Once that process is completed then we can start the hard work of working up the squad and seeing which players are staking a claim for a place in the reduced squad that goes to Australia in October.”

McCormack and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats ace Danny Brough have been up to Scotland to start the awareness campaign. Don’t forget Rugby League is still an emerging sport in the land of the tartan.

“Danny and I went to Glasgow for the media launch of Scotland’s World Cup playing strip,” he said. “And we were very impressed with the reaction we received from the Scots media.

“League is very much in its infancy in Scotland and yet there was plenty of media attention which is great news not just for this World Cup campaign but also for the long-term future of the game in the country.

“There was a great awareness of what we’ve achieved by reaching the World Cup Finals and it’s up to us to exploit that position.”

McCormack, who is the head coach at Co-operative National League One Club Widnes Vikings, and Brough, will be taking the high road back to Scotland next week for yet another media event.

“That kind of journey goes with the territory,” said McCormack. “But it’s exciting to be in at yet another exciting step forward for Scots Rugby League.”

From John Huxley
RLWC08 correspondent in the UK