Anderson sticks to form guide for Exiles squad

Kiwi hooker Faiumu was not even in coach Daniel Anderson’s initial 30-man squad but was called up yesterday for the two-game International Origin series against England.

Australian back-row O’Donnell, meanwhile, has not played for more than a month due to a back problem and is not even expected to be fit in time for the Langtree Park opener on Saturday June 16. He also missed last season’s inaugural event through injury but Anderson has named him in his refined 22-man squad in the hope his experience will come to bear during the second game to be played at Huddersfield on Wednesday, July 4.

However, it is a sign of the Giants’ slipping form – they have lost their last four Super League games to fall away from the summit – that club colleagues Jason Chan and David Fa’alago have both been overlooked.

Hull FC’s Willie Manu is the only other Yorkshire-based player to make the squad.

It is gloomy elsewhere too. Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington yesterday expressed his own fears that the reigning champions had ‘run their race’ and a squad that had secured four titles in five years may be in need of a major overhaul for 2013.

They are currently sat in ninth and, though backing coach Brian McDermott, Hetherington’s public announcement will set alarm bells ringing with some of the club’s most decorated players.

It has come as no shock that Leeds second-row Brett Delaney, who started the season so impressively, is another to miss Exiles selection while Danny McGuire’s involvement for England is in doubt after he was ruled out of tomorrow night’s game at Warrington with an adductor injury.

Anderson has selected four players from the Wigan side that so emphatically dismantled Rhinos 50-8 on Friday night, the huge loss that prompted Hetherington’s rebuke – Brett Finch, George Carmont, Jeff Lima and Thomas Leuluai all having scored in that rout.

He names five players from both Catalan and St Helens but there is no place for Bradford’s in-form hooker Heath L’Estrange or Hull KR centre Jake Webster.

England coach Steve McNamara names his this morning.

Exiles squad: Laffranchi, Meli, Hohaia, Soliola, Puletua (all St Helens), Kaufusi (London), Finch, Carmont, Lima, Leuluai (all Wigan), Hodgson, Joel Monaghan, Michael Monaghan, Waterhouse (all Warrington), Millard, Paea, Anderson, Dureau, Sa, (all Catalan), Faiumu, O’Donnell (both Huddersfield), Manu (Hull FC).

Dane McDonald (ankle) is Sheffield Eagles’ only injury doubt ahead of tonight’s Co-operative Championship match at Leigh.