Rivals get set to play alongside each other

Controversial prop Bailey has not featured in the international set-up since playing with Great Britain in 2004 but his impressive form during Leeds’s recent renaissance – culminating in Saturday’s Grand Final win over St Helens -–sees him make the 24-man squad ahead of games against Wales, Australia and New Zealand.

However, second-row Wilkin was furious about Bailey’s post-match celebrations at Old Trafford accusing him of going too far by taunting the defeated side’s younger players.

“I thought 16 of their players were possibly the most gracious people in victory and lovely fellas as well,” said the Saints star, after their fifth successive Grand Final defeat.

“But the way Ryan Bailey behaved – I’m embarrassed for him as a human being. He’s playing a man’s game but I’ve never seen such a child play a man’s game before in my life.

“Watch the tapes – he celebrates, he whoops, he squares up to our younger lads. That’s no way for a professional sportsman to conduct himself.”

It could make for an interesting meeting when the England squad, with seven Leeds players and four from Saints, fetch up at Loughborough University tomorrow.

McNamara, however, believes there will be no fall-out and expects unity when they come together for England.

He used the example of his former Bradford Bulls team-mate, the irritable Australian Graeme ‘The Penguin’ Bradley, who made a reputation for irking others.

“I think Ryan Bailey has probably got under the skin of more players than anybody else in the competition and that’s part of his attraction,” said McNamara, after naming six uncapped players, including Leeds duo Carl Ablett and Ben Jones-Bishop plus St Helens scrum-half Jonny Lomax.

“Jon was obviously disappointed and things get said in the heat of the moment after a game.

“I remember playing with Graeme Bradley who was probably the most hated man ever to play rugby league but, once people got to work with him, they had a different opinion of him.

“I can’t see an issue with it but it’s something we’ll speak about when we get together.”

McNamara added: “They are a group of gladiators who go out there and beat each other up, trying to take things off each other as close rivals, but they’ll be under one banner here.”

The England coach has clearly chosen players on form and fitness, with Leeds – who had no players in the Super League Dream Team announced four weeks ago – boasting so many following their play-off heroics.

Jones-Bishop, Ablett and Bailey are the clear winners in that sense, but Danny McGuire is overlooked and there is no Rob Burrow, the Rhinos man of the match on Saturday night.

He was considered but has been left out due to a rib problem he had been carrying since their Challenge Cup final in August.

Huddersfield Giants had six representatives in 2010 but have only one now – Leroy Cudjoe – which reflects on their dismal form in the second half of the season.

Giants’ Danny Brough was deemed nailed on to be England scrum-half earlier this year but, like team-mate Luke Robinson – more surprisingly given he was the star of last year’s Four Nations – has paid for a distinct loss of consistency.

As expected, Castleford Tigers’ Maori international Rangi Chase and Australia-based quartet Chris Heighington, Gareth Widdop, Jack Reed and Gareth Ellis are all included but Wigan’s Joel Tomkins is omitted.

He has made himself unavailable amid growing speculation he is set to switch codes with Saracens, while Warrington centre Ryan Atkins has also asked to be ignored for personal reasons.

Hull FC centre Kirk Yeaman has made the squad, Hull KR rival Kris Welham having to settle for a place in the England Knights group who play France at Leigh on Saturday.

St Helens centre Michael Shenton, who dislocated an elbow at Old Trafford, is ruled out by injury, along with Warrington centre Chris Bridge, Huddersfield prop Eorl Crabtree, Wigan loose forward Sean O’Loughlin and South Sydney forward Sam Burgess.

n Wakefield Trinity Wildcats have signed former Hull KR utility back Ben Cocakyne from Featherstone on a one-year deal and Wigan Warriors will today name Shaun Wane as their new head coach.