Ireland’s Head Coach Ged Corcoran has named his 19-man squad that will take on New Zealand in their third group stage game of the Rugby League World Cup 2021.
The match takes place on Friday, 28th October, at Headingley Stadium, Leeds with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm.
Ireland make two changes to the squad that was posted for last Sunday’s game against Lebanon, with Liam Byrne receiving a two-match penalty notice and Robbie Mulhern missing out due to an injury picked up in the match.
In comes young West Tigers back-rower Henry O’Kane for the first time, alongside with James McDonnell who has already featured in the World Cup for Ireland against Jamaica, picking up a try too for his efforts, he missed out on Sunday’s game due to a minor sickness bug.
Jaimin Jolliffe has been also named in the squad, with Rugby League Ireland appealing his one-match penalty notice again later this evening (Wednesday 26th October).
Ireland are aiming to make it into the final eight of the Rugby League World Cup, and the battle for the two qualification spots in Group C is going down to the wire following Sunday’s fixture.
If Dan Norman and Henry O’Kane feature against New Zealand, both would make their senior international debuts for Ireland, making it up to possibly eleven debuts made by the Wolfhounds at this World Cup.
Friday night will also be historic as it will be the first-ever international rugby league meeting between Ireland and New Zealand.
Ireland’s 19-man squad vs New Zealand
1. Richie Myler, 3. Ed Chamberlain, 4. Toby King, 5. Innes Senior, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Joe Keyes, 9. Josh Cook, 10. Jaimin Jolliffe, 11. James Bentley, 12. Frankie Halton, 13. George King (C), 14. James McDonnell, 15. Harry Rushton, 16. Brendan O’Hagan, 17. Dan Norman, 18. Henry O’Kane, 20. Louis Senior, 21. Ronan Michael, 22. James Hasson
