The Ireland captain for next year’s Rugby League World Cup has been named – with current skipper Liam Finn being handed the huge responsibility on the back of his impressive leadership of the squad so far.
Coach Mark Aston has confirmed half back Finn, who was named Player of the Year in the English Championship recently after a sensational season for Featherstone Rovers, as his skipper ahead of the Wolfhound’s big match against England Knights on Saturday evening.
Liam said: “I’m delighted, this is a massive honour, and I can’t wait to get going – obviously we are 12 months away but it gives us time to think about it and plan, and plenty of time to keep getting more excited and to prepare as well as we can.”
Speaking about last Sunday’s 30-18 victory over Scotland in Edinburgh, the first of Ireland’s two games in the 2012 Alitalia European Cup – the second being against England Knights on Saturday at 6pm at Deramore Park – Liam went on: “It was fantastic to get the win, and a win against a decent team, not just a lower nation, a team we have struggled with the last couple of years.”
Mark Aston also confirmed that Warrington Wolves’ Tyrone McCarthy would be the vice-captain for the World Cup – completing a great season for the loose forward, who picked up a much-coveted Challenge Cup winners medal with his club team just a few weeks ago.
Following the appointments, the coach said: “Since I got involved with the team just over 12 months ago Liam has been outstanding as a bloke and as a leader, and I am highly delighted that he has accepted the role and will be taking us into the World Cup. He’s a very committed, outstanding individual and outstanding player.
“He is supported by another young man that is making his way in the game with Warrington Wolves, Tyrone McCarthy, who again epitomises what we want Ireland to look like and what we want them to be – 100% committed, 100% passionate about making Ireland a very successful rugby league country.”
Tyrone McCarthy said: “This is a massive and proud moment for me. It’s a great pleasure to even be picked for Ireland, and to be asked to be one of the leaders in the team is a big occasion for me.”
The 24-year-old, who won the Challenge Cup with Warrington Wolves this season, also said he was pleased with what has been an almost breakthrough season with the Super League Grand Finalists, saying: “It’s probably a bit more special to get a Challenge Cup medal this year because I’ve been more involved, I played about 20-odd games, and hopefully that will leave me with more experience leading into next year.”
Today the players gathered in the Ballynahinch gym of former Ulster and Ireland rugby union skipper Andy Ward, himself also a huge rugby league fan and former player with Ballynhinch, who said: “It’s good to have any international team in any environment, though obviously I’ve got a good feel for rugby and rugby league, and I’m really looking forward to the game on Saturday, I think it will be a good contest, and the boys all seem to be in good spirits as well. It gets them out of the hotel more than anything, but I’m just delighted to have them down here in my gym.”
The game against England, which will be the first international rugby league match in Belfast since the 2000 World Cup when Ireland beat Samoa, kicks off at 6pm on Saturday, October 20 at Deramore Park (NB: the game has been moved from an original Friday night, 7.30pm kick off to this new time the following day).
Tickets for the match at Deramore Park are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for schoolchildren and students, while families of five (two adults and three children) can all get in for £20. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, all usual Ticketmaster outlets and will be sold on the door at the game. Rugby League Ireland is looking forward to a good crowd cheering the home team on to what will hopefully be a memorable victory.
3. Full squad for the Alitalia European Cup:
Matthew Hadden* (Antrim Eels), Simon Deevy* (Athboy Longhorns), Wayne Kerr (Country Cowboys), Elliot Cosgrove (Dewsbury Rams), Tom McKeown* , Joe Taylor (Dublin City Exiles), Liam Finn (captain, Featherstone Rovers), Luke Ambler, Callum Casey, Paul Handforth, Sean Hesketh (Halifax RLFC), Colton Roache* (Leeds Rhinos), Tommy Goulden, Stuart Littler, Gregg McNally (Leigh Centurions), Joshua Toole* (Mounties), Joe Mulhern* (Oldham Roughyeads), Tim Bergin, Pat Smith (Sheffield Eagles), Brendan Guilfoyle, Aaron McCloskey (Treaty City Titans), Kurt Haggerty, Joel Hinchcliffe*, Sam Wellens* (Unattached), Danny Bridge*, James Mendeika*, Tyrone McCarthy (Warrington Wolves), Matthew Haggerty*, Carl Sice* (Whitehaven RLFC), John O’Donnell* (Wigan Warriors)
*Denotes previously uncapped player
