? Even split with Aussies for International Origin Match
? 'We have terrific talent at our disposal,' says coach
Brian McClennan has stamped his mark on the Exiles team that will face England in next month's International Origin Match at Headingley by selecting five players who grew up in his native New Zealand, and ignoring the claims of a dozen Australians.
Nine of the 13 players who have been included after topping their positional polls in an online voting system involving more than 10,000 supporters are Aussies. But McClennan, a proud Kiwi who made his name by coaching New Zealand to their surprise win against Australia in the 2005 Tri-Nations final at Elland Road, has ensured a 50-50 split in the initial 18-man squad by selecting Louis Anderson, David Fa'alogo, David Faiumu and Sia Soliola ? all current or former Kiwis ? plus Kylie Leuluai, the Leeds prop who was born in Auckland and represented the Maori before switching his allegiance to Samoa.
That has meant overlooking a collection of former Australia internationals such as Michael Vella, Glenn Morrison and Ryan Hoffman. Other notable Aussie exclusions are Wigan's former Melbourne scrum-half Brett Finch, the Hull KR forward Clint Newton, and Warrington's hooker Michael Monaghan ? although his younger brother, Joel, is in the squad thanks to supporters' voting.
Newton is currently injured having aggravated a knee problem trying to get fit for Rovers' Good Friday derby against Hull FC, but so is Fa'alogo, the Huddersfield forward who is facing yet another lengthy absence with more hamstring trouble. Yet Fa'alogo, who is a probable target for Warrington now that Tony Puletua looks more likely to stay with St Helens if he does not head home to Australia, has been included.
McClennan will complete his 22-man squad for the match by selecting one more player in each of the next four weeks. But his flexibility will be reduced by the limit of three players per club, meaning that he will have to omit one of the Warrington quartet who have already been selected ? Anderson, Joel Monaghan, Brett Hodgson and Matt King ? from his final team.
The England coach, Steve McNamara, will name his squad in the week before the game, on Friday 10 June.
"The make-up of the squad looks very exciting," said McClennan. "We have some terrific talent at our disposal with vast experience at the highest level.
"The fans have made some intelligent selections throughout the voting process over the past month. Their selections mirror the type of squad I am looking to build. Their picks will serve as the nucleus of my squad going into the game against England."
Danny Buderus, Leeds's former Australia hooker who will captain the team, said: "Our biggest challenge will be gelling as a unit as we will have less than a week in camp as a group. The beauty is that we know each other from our backgrounds in the NRL and it won't take us long to adapt to each other.
Exiles
Hodgson (Warrington), Richards (Wigan), Carmont (Wigan), King (Warrington), J Monaghan (Warrington), Chase (Castleford), T Leuluai (Wigan), K Leuluai (Leeds), Buderus (Leeds, capt), O'Meley (Hull), O'Donnell (Huddersfield), Menzies (Catalans), Fitzgibbon (Hull), Faiumu (Huddersfield), Anderson (Warrington), Puletua (St Helens), Soliola (St Helens), Fa'alogo (Huddersfield).
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/may/04/brian-mcclennan-exiles-england
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