Kirmond not in World Cup thinking

England coach Steve McNamara is set to snub Super League Dream Team pick Danny Kirmond for the World Cup.

Three players not involved in the play-offs are in McNamara’s Elite Training Squad, including Kirmond’s Wakefield team-mate Ben Cockayne and Salford-bound pair Gareth Hock and Rangi Chase.

Kirmond, 27, was one of 12 players available for England at the World Cup selected in the Dream Team, with Scotland‘s Danny Brough the only exception.

When asked if any players not involved in the play-offs other than three in the Elite squad were being considered, McNamara replied: “Not at this moment in time.”

But McNamara did say that players outside the Elite Training Squad still had a chance to earn their place in his squad for the tournament which kicks off on October 26.

He said: “We’ve shown that with Brett Ferres. We picked him mid-season. Not every place is nailed down and confirmed, the play-offs will tell us a lot about the teams and the players.

“I wouldn’t say there’s plenty of room in the squad, we’ve had some consistency in terms of selection in recent years, but there are still places undecided.

“Everyone’s got instructions. The whole ETS squad met in August, and they received clarity and a complete understanding of what they need to do.

“Hock, Chase and Cockayne start training Friday (today), starting with medicals and conditioning programmes; and everyone else understands where they are at if and when they drop out of the play-offs.”

McNamara, who has to name a 24-man squad for the World Cup by October 9, will use the double-header warm up between England and Italy, and the Knights and Samoa at Salford on October 19, to test his players before their opening World Cup game against Australia.