Brough bolsters Scottish bid
Huddersfield Giants’ playmaking talisman Danny Brough returns to Scotland’s ranks in coach Steve McCormack’s 30 strong squad for the forthcoming Alitalia European Cup clashes against Wales, Ireland and France.
He is one of six stars from the engage Super League who will be in the Bravehearts ranks after starring for them in the 2008 World Cup.
Oliver Wilkes (Harlequins), Joe Wardle (Huddersfield Giants), Dale Ferguson – who makes his debut – and Kevin Henderson (both Wakefield Trinity Wildcats) and Ben Fisher (Hull Kingston Rovers) are part of a squad that also features many of the most exciting players from the Co-operative Championships, including exciting Batley Bulldogs scrum half Gareth Moore.
Craig Borthwick and Giles Lomax, both of the Edinburgh Eagles, also feature in a squad that McCormack describes as, “a vibrant mix of youth and experience that will give Scotland a good chance of achieving success in the tournament.”
McCormack went on: “The presence of six Super League stars will certainly bolster our bid to bring the Alitalia European Cup to Scotland but we’ve named a lot of talented individuals that all bring defensive grit and attacking flair to the side.”
Scotland were runner’s up in last year’s European Cup and McCormick sees no reason why his tartan army can’t go one better in 2010.
“I’m genuinely excited by the potential of this squad of players and I hope we can get off to a strong start against the Welsh at Old Anniesland in a repeat of last year’s final before facing France and then visiting Dublin.”
“The achievements of the Scotland ‘A’ team in winning their Four Nations tournament for the first time should act as a benchmark for a campaign that could position Scotland as one of the top four Rugby League playing nations in the world. That possibility is there with these lads.”
The full squad is as follows:
Gareth Moore – Batley Bulldogs
Lee Paterson – Carpentras XIII
Jamie Benn – Castleford Panthers
Brad Massey – Coventry Bears
Dean Colton – Doncaster
Rob Lunt – Doncaster
Craig Borthwick – Edinburgh Eagles
Giles Lomax – Edinburgh Eagles
Jon Steel – Featherstone Rovers
Crawford Matthews – Gateshead Thunder
Sam Barlow – Halifax
Oliver Wilkes – Harlequins
Danny Brough – Huddersfield Giants
Joe Wardle – Huddersfield Giants
Ben Fisher – Hull KR
Neil Lowe – Hunslet Hawks
John Duffy – Leigh Centurions
Dave Arnott – London Skolars
Andrew Henderson – Sheffield Eagles
Jack Howieson – Sheffield Eagles
Brendan Lindsay – Sheffield Eagles
Mitch Stringer – Sheffield Eagles
Alex Szostack – Sheffield Eagles
Richard Hawkyard – Swinton Lions
Dale Ferguson – Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Kevin Henderson – Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Dexter Miller – Whitehaven
Spencer Miller – Whitehaven
Brett Carter – Workington Town
Paddy Coupar – Workington Town
Alitalia European Cup fixtures
Saturday 9th October – France v Ireland (Avignon) 3.30pm CET
Sunday 10th October – Scotland v Wales (Old Anniesland, Glasgow) 2.30pm
Saturday 16th – France v Scotland (Stade Municipale d’Albi) 3.15pm CET
Sunday 17th October – Wales v Ireland (The Gnoll, Neath) 2pm
Saturday 23rd October – France v Wales (Stade Municipale d’Albi) 3.30pm CET
Sunday 24th October – Ireland v Scotland (Tallaght, Dublin) 2.30pm
