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Melbourne fullback Billy Slater will return to the Australian team for the first time in 30 months, while Storm forward Jordan McLean and Cronulla utility Wade Graham have been chosen to make their Test debuts in Friday night’s opening Rugby League World Cup 2017 match against England at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

England coach Wayne Bennett has also named a strong line-up for the clash, with Super League’s Man of Steel Luke Gale to partner St George Illawarra captain Gareth Widdop in the halves and a powerful forward pack led by captain Sean O’Loughlin, Sam Burgess and James Graham. 

Parramatta centre Brad Takairangi will make his debut for New Zealand in Saturday’s match against Samoa at Mt Smart Stadium, along with Melbourne prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Newcastle hooker Danny Levi, who have been named on the bench. Wigan utility Thomas Leuluai was named to start in the dummy half role.

Samoa will field a giant forward pack, featuring captain Frank Pritchard and Josh Papalii in the second row and Junior Paulo in the front row.

Tonga coach Kristian Woolf named all his big names, headed by Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita, in a strong line-up to face Scotland at Barlow Park, Cairns on Sunday.

The teams to open the tournament are: 
 

Australia v England
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 8pm Friday
 
AUSTRALIA
1   Billy SLATER
2   Dane GAGAI
3   William CHAMBERS
4   Joshua DUGAN
5   Valentine HOLMES
6   Michael MORGAN
7   Cooper CRONK
8   Aaron WOODS
9   Cameron SMITH (c)
10  David KLEMMER
11  Boyd CORDNER
12  Matt GILLETT
13  Jake TRBOJEVIC
14  Wade GRAHAM
15  Jordan MCLEAN
16  Joshua MCGUIRE
17  Tyson FRIZELL
 
18  Reagan CAMPBELL-GILLARD
19  Ben HUNT
20  Tom TRBOJEVIC
21  Felise KAUFUSI
 
ENGLAND
1   Jonny LOMAX
2   Jermaine MCGILLVARY
3   Kallum WATKINS
4   John BATEMAN
5  Ryan HALL
6   Gareth WIDDOP
7   Luke GALE
8   Chris HILL
9   Josh HODGSON
10  James GRAHAM
11  Sam BURGESS
12  Elliott WHITEHEAD
13  Sean O'LOUGHLIN (c)
14  Alex WALMSLEY
15  Chris HEIGHINGTON
16  Thomas BURGESS
17  James ROBY

18  Ben CURRIE
19  Kevin BROWN
20  Mark PERCIVAL
21  Scott TAYLOR

 

Papua New Guinea v Wales
Oil Search NSF Stadium, Port Moresby, 3pm Saturday (4pm AEDT)
 

PNG
1  David MEAD (c)
2  Justin OLAM
3  Kato OTTIO
4  Nene MACDONALD
5  Garry LO
6  Ase BOAS
7  Watson BOAS
8  Stanton ALBERT
9  Wartovo PUARA
10  Luke PAGE
11  Rhyse MARTIN
12  Rod Griffin
13  Paul AITON
14  Kurt BAPTISTE
15  Willie MINOGA
16  James SEGEYARO
17  Enock MAKI

18   Lachlan LAM
19   Stargroth AMEAN
20   Wellington ALBERT
21   Moses MENINGA
 
WALES
1   Elliot KEAR
2   Rhys WILLIAMS
3   Michael CHANNING
4   Andrew GAY
5   Regan GRACE
6   Courtney DAVIES
7  Matt SEAMARK
8  Craig KOPCZAK (c)
9  Steve PARRY
10  Philip JOSEPH
11   Rhodri LLOYD
12   Ben MORRIS
13  Morgan KNOWLES
14  Matty FOZARD
15  Sam HOPKINS
16  Ben EVANS
17  Chester BUTLER

18   Josh RALPH
19   Dalton GRANT
20   Christiaan ROETS
21   Matthew BARRON

 
New Zealand v Samoa
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, 8.10pm Saturday (6.10pm AEDT)

NEW ZEALAND
1   Roger TUIVASA-SHECK
2   Dallin WATENE ZELEZNIAK
3   Gerard BEALE
4   Bradley TAKAIRANGI
5   Jordan RAPANA
6   Kodi NIKORIMA
7   Shaun JOHNSON
8   Martin TAUPAU
9   Thomas LEULUAI
10   Adam BLAIR (c)
11   Kenny BROMWICH
12   Joseph TAPINE
13   Simon MANNERING
14   Nelson ASOFA-SOLOMONA
15   Russell PACKER
16   Isaac LIU
17   Danny LEVI

18   Jared WAEREA-HARGREAVES
19   Peta HIKU
20   Te Maire MARTIN
21   Addin FONUA-BLAKE
 
SAMOA
1   Young TONUMAIPEA
2   Peter MATA'UTIA
3   Timoteo LAFAI
4   Joseph LEILUA
5   Ken MAUMALO
6   Joseph PAULO
7   Ben ROBERTS
8   Junior PAULO
9   Jazz TEVAGA
10   Sam LISONE
11   Joshua PAPALII
12   Frank PRITCHARD (c)
13   Leeson AH MAU
14   Pita GODINET
15   Herman ESE'ESE
16   Suaia MATAGI
17   Bunty Afoa

18   Zane MUSGROVE
19   Ricky LEUTELE
20   Frank WINTERSTEIN
21   Fa'amanu BROWN

Fiji v USA
Townsville Stadium, 7.40pm Saturday (8.40pm AEDT)

FIJI
1   Kevin NAIQAMA (c)
2   Suliasi VUNIVALU
3   Taane MILNE
4   Akuila UATE
5   Marcelo MONTOYA
6   Jarryd HAYNE
7   Henry RAIWALUI
8   Ashton SIMS
9   Apisai KOROISAU
10  Kane EVANS
11  Viliame KIKAU
12  Korbin SIMS
13  Tui KAMIKAMICA
14  Joe LOVODUA
15  Jacob SAIFITI
16  Eloni VUNAKECE
17  Petero Benjamin NAKUBUWAI

18  Brayden WILIAME
19  James STORER
20  Junior ROQICA
21  Pio SECI
 
USA
1   Corey MAKELIM
2   Ryan BURROUGHS
3   Junior VAIVAI
4   Jonathan ALLEY
5   Wing Bureta FARAIMO
6   Kristian FREED
7   Matthew WALSH
8   1 Eddy PETTYBOURNE
9   David MARANDO
10  Mark OFFERDAHL (c)
11  Danny HOWARD
12  Matt SHIPWAY
13  Nicholas NEWLIN
14  Sam TOCHTERMAN-TALBOTT
15  Andrew KNEISLY
16  Steve HOWARD
17  Gabriel FARLEY

18  Charles JOSEPH CORTALANO
19  Joe EICHNER
20  David ULCH
21  Joshua RICE

Ireland v Italy
Barlow Park, Cairns, 2pm Sunday (3pm AEDT)

 

IRELAND
1   Scott Grix
2   Shannon McDonnell
3   Ed Chamberlain
4   Centre Michael MORGAN
5   Wing Liam Kay
6   Api Pewhairangi
7   Liam Finn (c)
8   1 Brad Singleton
9   Michael McIlorum
10   Kyle Amor
11   Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
12   Oliver Roberts
13   George King
14   Tyrone MCCARTHY
15   James HASSON
16   Joe Philbin
17   Anthony Mullally

18  Joe Keyes
19  Will Hope
20  Jack Higginson
21  Matty Hadden
 
ITALY
1   James TEDESCO
2   Mason CERRUTO
3   Justin CASTELLARO
4   Nathan MILONE
5   Josh MANTELLATO
6   Terry CAMPESE
7   Jack JOHNS
8   Paul VAUGHAN
9   Ryan GHIETTI
10  Daniel ALVARO
11  Joel RIETHMULLER
12  Mark MINICHIELLO (c)
13  Nathan BROWN
14  Colin WILKIE
15  Brendan SANTI
16  Shannon WAKEMAN
17  Jayden WALKER

18  Christophe CALEGRI
19  Christopher CENTRONE
20  Joe TRAMONTANA
21  Gavin HISCOX

Scotland v Tonga
Barlow Park, Cairns, 4.15pm Sunday (5.15pm AEDT)

SCOTLAND
1   Lewis TIERNEY
2   Matthew RUSSELL
3   Ben HELLEWEL
4   Lachlan STEIN
5   Will OAKES
6   Danny BROUGH (c)
7   Danny ADDY
8   Luke DOUGLAS
9   Kane BENTLEY
10  Ben KAVANAGH
11  Frankie MARIANO
12   Dale FERGUSON
13  James BELL
14  Callum PHILLIPS
15  Andrew BENTLEY
16  Sam BROOKS
17  Johnny WALKER

18  Alex WALKER
19  Jarred ANDERSON
20  Kieran MORAN
21  Brandan WILKINSON
 
TONGA
1   William HOPOATE
2   Daniel TUPOU
3   Michael JENNINGS
4   Konrad HURRELL
5   Manu VATUVEI
6   Tuimoala LOLOHEA
7   Mafoa'aeata HINGANO
8   Andrew FIFITA
9   Siliva HAVILI
10  Sio Siua TAUKEIAHO
11  Manu MA'U
12  Sika MANU (c)
13  Jason TAUMALOLO
14  Sione KATOA
15  Sam MOA
16  Peni TEREPO

17  Ben MURDOCH-MASILIA
18  Joe OFAHENGAUE
19  Solomone KATA
20  David FUSITUA
21  Samisoni LANGI


France v Lebanon
Canberra Stadium, 4pm Sunday

FRANCE
1   Mark KHEIRALLAH
2   Fouad YAHA
3   Bastien ADER
4   Damien CARDACE
5   Ilias BERGAL
6   Theo FAGES (c)
7   William BARTHAU
8   Antoni MARIA
9    Eloi PELISSIER
10  Julian BOUSQUET
11  Benjamin GARCIA
12  Benjamin JULLIEN
13  Jason BAITIERI
14  Clement BOYER
15  Nabil DJALOUT
16  Thibault MARGALET
17  Lucas ALBERT
18  John BOUDEBZA
19  Olivier ARNOUD
20  Mickael ROUCH
21  Romain NAVARRETE
 
LEBANON
1   Anthony LAYOUN
2   Travis ROBSINSON
3   James ELIAS
4   Jason WEHBE
5   Abbas MISKI
6   Mitchell MOSES
7   Robbie FARAH
8   Timothy MANNAH
9   Michael LICHAA
10   Alex TWAL
11   Chris SAAB
12   Ahmad ELLAZ
13   Nick KASSIS
14   Mitchell MAMARY
15   Elias SUKKAR
16   Jaleel SEVE-DERBAS
17   Andrew KAZZI

18   Adam DOUEIHI
19   Bilal MAARBANI
20   Jamie CLARK
21   Danny BARAKAT

 

Acknowledgement of Country

Canberra Raiders respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.