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Rugby League

Gleeson named England captain

08/10/2008

Warrington Wolves stand-off Martin Gleeson has been named to lead England in their Rugby League World Cup warm-up against Wales in Doncaster on Friday.

Gleeson will stand in for regular skipper Jamie Peacock, who is rested along with the rest of his Leeds Rhinos team-mates after their Super League Grand Final-winning exploits last weekend.

All seven St Helens players named in Tony Smith's 24-man squad are also omitted, while Wolves prop Adrian Morley is still recovering from a stomach muscle injury.

Young Salford City Reds half-back Richard Myler, 18, starts alongside Gleeson as he continues his development after being named in the train-on squad last month.

Harlequins duo Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who is in the starting XIII, and Tony Clubb, who is among the interchanges, also earn debut caps in what is a relatively inexperienced matchday squad.

"Martin is just about the most experienced person in the squad and he's been leading the team naturally in the last few weeks," head coach Smith said.

"I like to sit back and see who the natural leaders are and he's stepped up to the mark. It's a mark of his maturity and how far he's come.

"I'm sure he'd be the first to admit he's had a couple of chequered markers in the past but he's well past that and thoroughly deserves the captaincy."

Full England team to play Wales at Keepmoat Stadium on Friday:

Shaun Briscoe (Hull KR), Peter Fox (Hull KR), Michael Shenton (Castleford Tigers), Paul Sykes (Bradford Bulls), Mark Calderwood (Wigan Warriors); Martin Gleeson (Warrington Wolves, captain), Richie Myler (Salford City Reds); Stuart Fielden (Wigan Warriors), Mickey Higham (Wigan Warriors), Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins RL), Gareth Hock (Wigan Warriors), Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves), Rob Purdham (Harlequins RL).

Interchanges: David Hodgson (Huddersfield Giants), Jamie Langley (Bradford Bulls), Darrell Griffin (Huddersfield Giants), Tony Clubb (Harlequins RL).