Giants stand tall for England

No Super League outfit has more representation in the touring party, a clear sign of Huddersfield's increasing presence in the competition.

Prop Eorl Crabtree and stand-off Kevin Brown were always expected to be named yesterday, while uncapped hooker Shaun Lunt was on the fringes having been called in as back-up for the mid-season friendly with France in June.

But McNamara has also turned to his old club to take the untried trio of scrum-half Luke Robinson, exciting homegrown winger Leroy Cudjoe and – the major surprise of his 24-man squad – robust prop Darrell Griffin for the appointments in New Zealand and Australia.

It was only eight years ago that, as captain, McNamara was striving to help Huddersfield win promotion back into Super League but they have made great strides since.

Coach Nathan Brown steered them to a play-off semi-final at St Helens last month on the back of a seven-match winning run.

After an earlier marvellous success at Warrington highlighted their growing abilities, they were just 80 minutes from a maiden Old Trafford appearance, a fact not lost on McNamara's decision-making.

"I spoke to Nathan last night and it's a credit to himself and his organisation that they've got the most number of players within this squad," he said.

"They thoroughly deserve it and I'm pleased for that club."

Proud Giants chairman Ken Davy added: "It is a fantastic day for us without doubt.

"We often talk about the year-on-year progression that the Giants are making and this is absolutely concrete evidence of that fact.

"To have the highest number of representatives from any club in the squad is terrific news for us all.

"It is testament to all the work that is done by the coaches and staff to give our players the best possible opportunities to shine and I am sure that Nathan (Brown) is extremely proud of each and every one of them as we all are."

Compared to the 2008 World Cup squad, the average age of the group has fallen from 27 to 25 as McNamara follows his belief modern rugby league is a "young man's game" and there is some exciting talent within it.

However, the most noticeable contrast to two years ago is the club make-up. Back then, Leeds and St Helens boasted 15 players between them but yesterday that had plummeted to just three.

Granted, Leeds have been hit with injuries as Kevin Sinfield was ruled out with an Achilles problem which requires surgery, adding to the already-absent Jamie Peacock and Danny McGuire, leaving Ryan Hall as their sole representative.

Newly-crowned champions Wigan will have four players flying out when the tour departs for New Zealand on Friday, including a recall for prop Stuart Fielden who has been in the international wilderness since his last appearance at the 2006 Tri-Nations.

Rated the game's best forward before his world record move from Bradford earlier that year, he had struggled ever since until enjoying a renaissance under new Wigan coach Michael Maguire.

Like Robinson, he was not even included in McNamara's mid-season 37-man get-together, but their splendid late form has pushed them ahead of plenty of notable names such as Richie Myler and Garreth Carvell while St Helens' Kyle Eastmond was not considered due to injury.

Fielden's wife is five days overdue with their first child while Robinson has re-arranged his wedding showing the desire they both have.

"They're both making decisions in terms of their overall lives," admitted McNamara.

"I couldn't be more pleased. I've been delighted by their form.

"Stuart has got a huge desire to get back into the England set-up and perform well.

"He is going to be leaving his first child a day or two after the birth and so it's a huge commitment but he never flinched.

"The door was never shut if he applied himself and did the right things. He's had some dark days but his form has been very consistent throughout this season.

"He has certainly got some points to prove but his enthusiasm and desire to play for England is the thing that really stands out."

Wigan winger Darrell Goulding is rightly rewarded for his prolific try-scoring form while Warrington's Ben Harrison is the sixth uncapped player in McNamara's squad, the coach yesterday confirming that Adrian Morley would take over as captain from Peacock.

FOUR NATIONS' SQUAD SO FAR...

England: R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull), K Brown (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), D Goulding (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds), L Robinson (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan), M Shenton (Castleford), G Widdop (Melbourne). S Burgess (South Sydney), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Fielden (Wigan), J Graham (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington), S Lunt (Huddersfield), A Morley (Warrington, capt), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).

Australia: D Lockyer (c), S Thaiday, T Learoyd-Lahrs, D Shillington, P Gallen, G Bird, A Watmough, C Cronk, B Slater, C Smith, K Gidley, M Scott, W Tonga, J Hayne, P Civoniceva, L Lewis, D Boyd, B Morris, D Young, T Carney, N Myles, B Tate, R Farah, C Lawrence.

New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are due to announce their finalised squads in the next couple of days.