Huddersfield pair win first England caps against Australia

He defended his decision to make no fewer than 11 changes for Sunday's contest including bringing in the uncapped Giants pair who comnplete remarkable rises.

Less than two years ago, hooker Lunt, 23, was playing part-time for Workington in Championship One while Huddersfield-born centre Cudjoe, 22, has also made huge strides leading to the point where he is now preparing to tackle some of the biggest names in the world.

Just six players occupy the positions they started in last Saturday's 24-10 defeat by New Zealand as England look to stay alive in the tournament.

McNamara has axed Melbourne's Gareth Widdop, the Halifax-born full-back who is denied the chance to play for his country on his home ground, and Huddersfield stand-off Kevin Brown while Warrington forward Ben Harrison is the third player to earn his debut.

Sam Tomkins moves from scrum half to full-back, his Wigan team-mate Sean O'Loughlin goes from loose forward to stand-off and South Sydney's Sam Burgess moves from the second row to prop.

Luke Robinson gets his first full cap at scrum half while his Huddersfield team-mate Eorl Crabtree replaces another Giants prop Darrell Griffin on the bench.

Cudjoe is a straight replacement for injured centre Michael Shenton while Lunt and Harrison will win their first caps from the bench.

The wholesale changes mean that Harlequins centre Tony Clubb and Warrington prop Garreth Carvell are the only members of the 24-man squad yet to feature on tour.

The major reshuffle prompted a suggestion from one Australian journalist at today's press conference at AAMI Park that England are in disarray, a claim promptly rebuffed by McNamara.

"I can't believe that comment, it's far from that," he said.

"We've one enforced change through injury and we've three players who have missed out and three who come in, it's as simple as that.

"We've selected what we think is the right team to play Australia and we're pretty comfortable with what we've got.

"There are some young boys who didn't play in the first two games that have been extremely good and are ready to play."

McNamara received support from an unlikely source, with Australia coach Tim Sheens admitting he is wary of the fresh faces and captain Darren Lockyer suggesting England are stronger for the changes.

Sheens said: "Some of the changes I think are very, very good and obviously very dangerous for us, particularly the full-back.

"Sam (Burgess) has played plenty of football up front and that will give him more ball. Sometimes the second rowers don't get enough ball.

"The more ball he gets and the more room the full-back gets, the more worried we are.

"The guys you don't know much about, the younger ones, are always a concern because they're enthusiastic. They could do anything and you can't prepare."

Lockyer said: "Other than the guys we played against in the Four Nations last year and the ones in the NRL, I don't know a lot about the young fellas. The team looks I believe a lot better than last week."

Team: S Tomkins (Wigan); D Goulding (Wigan), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull); S O'Loughlin (Wigan), L Robinson (Huddersfield); J Graham (St Helens, capt), J Roby (St Helens), S Burgess (South Sydney), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).

Subs: S Lunt (Huddersfield), S Fielden (Wigan), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington).