Former Test prop Brett White heads the five Australian-based players picked in Ireland’s 24-man squad for the rugby league World Cup.
White, who also played eight times for New South Wales in State of Origin, was named in Ireland’s squad for the last World Cup in 2008 but pulled out in order to have foot surgery.
The squad also includes Manly Sea Eagles second rower James Hasson, who is still waiting to hear if he will play in Sunday’s NRL grand final against the Sydney Roosters.
Hasson, who was born in England, joined the Sea Eagles at the start of this season after failing to secure a new deal with Cronulla and has so far made 12 appearances off the bench. He has been included in Manly’s 19-man squad following the loss of broken-neck victim Richard Fa’aoso.
Ireland’s other NRL-based players are New Zealand-born stand-off Apirana Pewhairangi, who joined Parramatta at the start of this year and made his debut against Brisbane in May, and North Queensland hooker Rory Kostjasyn, 26, who made his debut for Melbourne in the 2010 World Club Challenge against Leeds.
Also in the squad is centre Joshua Toole, who made his debut for Ireland in last year’s matches against Scotland and England Knights and is currently playing for Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup.
The big names from Super League include Pat Richards, who is returning to the Wests Tigers next season, Catalan Dragons winger Damien Blanch and the Grix brothers, Scott and Simon, who return to the squad for the first time since 2010, while Warrington second rower Ben Currie has opted for Ireland ahead of England.
The team will be captained by Featherstone half-back Liam Finn, who is one of nine survivors from the side that went within 80 minutes of reaching the semi-finals in 2008.
Ireland squad: Dave Allen (Widnes), Luke Ambler (Halifax), Bob Beswick (Leigh), Damien Blanch (Catalan Dragons), Danny Bridge (Warrington), Ben Currie (Warrington), Liam Finn (Featherstone, capt), Simon Finnigan (Leigh), Scott Grix (Huddersfield), Simon Grix (Warrington), Kurt Haggerty (Barrow), James Hasson (Manly), Rory Kostjasyn (North Queensland), Stuart Littler (Leigh), Tyrone McCarthy (Warrington), James Mendeika (Swinton), Anthony Mullally (Huddersfield), Eamon O’Carroll (Widnes), Apirana Pewhairangi (Parramatta), Pat Richards (Wigan), Colton Roche (Sheffield), Marc Sneyd (Salford), Josh Toole (St George Illawarra), Brett White (Canberra).