Ireland World Cup squad announced

Ireland head coach Mark Aston has announced his 24-man squad for Rugby League World Cup 2013.

The final squad includes a total of 10 Super League players and four players from Australia’s NRL, with the remaining players coming from the Kingstone Press Championship and one from the NSW Cup in the form of Joshua Toole.

Wingers Pat Richards of Wigan and Damien Blanch of Catalan are two of the biggest names in the squad, alongside the Grix Brothers, Simon (Warrington) and Scott (Huddersfield), who return to the squad for the first time since 2010.

From the NRL, former Australia and New South Wales prop Brett White (Canberra) joins the squad, as does James Hasson who has been named in Manly’s 19-man squad for this Saturday’s Grand Final.

Rory Kostjasyn (North Queensland) and Api Pewhairangi (Parramatta) have also been included in Aston’s final squad.

Aston, who continues with Featherstone scrum-half Liam Finn as his captain, had this to say: “I am really pleased with the squad we’ve named, it is a combination of experience and younger up-and-coming players from both hemispheres.

“I am confident that we are fully equipped to be competitive in what is a really tough group and we are really looking forward to the challenge ahead against three of the best teams in the world.”

Full squad: Dave Allen, Luke Ambler, Bob Beswick, Damien Blanch, Danny Bridge*, Ben Currie*, Liam Finn, Simon Finnigan, Scott Grix, Simon Grix, Kurt Haggerty*, James Hasson*, Rory Kostjasyn*, Stuart Littler, Tyrone McCarthy, James Mendeika, Anthony Mullally*, Eamon O’Carroll, Apirana Pewhairangi*, Pat Richards, Colton Roche, Marc Sneyd*, Joshua Toole, Brett White*.

*Denotes previously uncapped player.