How the Combined Nations All Stars could line-up under Ellery Hanley

Rugby league legend Ellery Hanley will return to coaching this year when he takes charge of the Combined Nations All Stars against England.

Hanley has taken the coaching reigns from Tim Sheens, who is back in Australia in a coaching role with NRL side Wests Tigers.

Shaun Wane lost his first game as England head coach to the All Stars last June. The All Stars, which is a team made up of Super League’s best overseas players, beat England 26-24 in Warrington.

England will aim to get revenge on the All Stars when they clash at Warrington on Saturday, June 18.

Hanley named a 29-man squad for the CNAS in April, so we’ve made our predicted squad from Hanley’s selection…

How the Combined Nations All Stars could line-up in 2022:

1. Jai Field (Australia)

The 24-year-old has been in sensational form for Wigan this season, scoring 14 tries in as many rounds in Super League. Field is box-office, and helped the Warriors lift the Challenge Cup.

2. Peter Mata’utia (Samoa)

Mata’utia has been in England since 2018. He first moved to Championship side Leigh before joining Super League side Castleford. He left the Tigers to follow Daryl Powell to Warrington ahead of this season. Mata’utia was born in Australia but is of Samoan heritage. He has won four caps for Samoa and represented his roots at the 2017 World Cup. He also played for the Combined Nations All Stars in 2021.

3. Ricky Leutele

It is easy to see why Huddersfield want to offer out of contract Leutele a new deal. The 32-year-old has won seven caps for Samoa and played for the Combined Nations All Stars last year.

4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall (New Zealand)

The 34-year-old was born in Australia but moved to New Zealand when he was three. He is of Maori descent and won 21 caps for New Zealand on the international stage. Kenny-Dowall is currently captain of Hull KR.

5. Ken Sio (Samoa)

Sio was Super League’s top try scorer in 2021 and is a key player for Salford. The 31-year-old was born in Australia and is of Samoan heritage. He scored two tries for the All Stars in their win over England last year.

6. Mitchell Pearce (Australia)

Pearce was a big name arrival at Catalans Dragons in the off-season. Pearce, who made more than 300 NRL appearances, has not played for Australia internationally but has been a mainstay in New South Wales’ State of Origin side. He has played 19 times for the Blues.

7. Mason Lino (Samoa)

The silky Samoan has proven to be a brilliant signing for Wakefield. The 28-year-old linked up with Trinity ahead of the 2021 season and is a fan’s favourite at Belle Vue. He has won three caps for Samoa and is also of Chinese heritage.

8. David Fifita (Australia and Tonga)

Fifita is of Indigenous Australian and Tongan descent. The Wakefield prop has won three caps for Tonga since making his debut in 2010 – his last one coming in 2016. Fifita has been a popular member of the Trinity squad since his arrival in 2016.

9. Danny Levi (New Zealand and Samoa)

Levi is experiencing Super League for the first time in 2022 with Huddersfield. The 26-year-old hooker, who made more than 100 NRL appearances, won four caps for birth country New Zealand and played for the Kiwis at the 2017 World Cup. He is also of Samoan descent and switched his allegiance to represent his Samoan roots in 2019.

10. Matt Prior (Australia)

Prior has been a fan’s favourite at Headingley since his move to Leeds in 2020. The 34-year-old was born and raised in Australia and represented New South Wales in the State of Origin arena in 2018. Prior played for the All Stars last year.

11. Kenny Edwards (New Zealand & Cook Islands)

Edwards is enjoying a new lease of life with Castleford this season. The 32-year-old was born in New Zealand and is of Maori and Cook Islands descent. He played in the All Stars win over England last year.

12. Ben Garcia (France)

Garcia has been one of Catalans’ best players for a number of years now. He has made more than 150 for the Dragons and is now club captain. On the international stage, Garcia has won 11 caps for his native France and has played in two World Cups.

13. Luke Yates (Australia)

Australian forward Yates has been one of the standout forwards in Super League for a number of years. The 26-year-old represented the Combined Nations All Stars last year and was appointed Huddersfield captain ahead of this season.

More on the Combined Nations All Stars

Ellery Hanley wants to help England win the Rugby League World Cup

Andrew Henderson honoured to get Ellery Hanley call

Ellery Hanley: England have the right man in charge to succeed

Bench:

14. Jake Connor

Although born and raised in Yorkshire, Connor is eligible to represent the Combined Nations All Stars due his Trinidadian heritage. The Hull utility played five games for England in 2018 but has yet to make a squad under new coach Shaun Wane. He will be hoping to show Wane what he is made of in the mid-season match.

15. Chris Satae

Satae has been excellent for Hull since joining the club in 2019. He was born in Tonga and spent a large chunk of his childhood in Fiji, so he is eligible to represent either nation at this year’s World Cup. He also played for the Combined Nations All Stars last year.

16. Sam Kasiano

Standing at 6ft 5in and weighing almost 20 stone, Kasiano is one of Super League’s biggest and most fierce players. The 31-year-old has been a mainstay in the Catalans Dragons pack since 2019 and will join Warrington from next season. He has represented New Zealand and Samoa on the international stage.

17. Ligi Sao

Like Satae, Sao has proven to be an excellent addition to Hull’s pack. Sao was born in New Zealand and is of Samoan descent. He has won one cap for Samoa and represented them in the Nines World Cup in 2019.

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