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14-09-08, 12:43 AM
CRAIG Wing is set for a representative revival with the Rabbitohs star edging closer to a World Cup debut.
It's believed the 28-year-old will be named tomorrow in Australia's Prime Minister's XIII team to take on Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on September 28.
The squad will be made up of players from the 12 sides not involved in the NRL finals with ARL officials intent on using the match as an important World Cup trial.
Alongside Wing, Newcastle's Ben Cross, the Titans Scott Prince and North Queensland's Luke O'Donnell are all in line to be chosen.
"It's an important match for not only the players that are chosen but for the continual development of the game,'' Australian coach Ricky Stuart said.
"This tour is also about giving our future representative players an opportunity to show what they're capable of under the microscope of the national selectors. We've shown that in the past with players like Chris Lawrence and Ben Pomeroy last year.
"The World Cup isn't just about one match either, this will be an arduous campaign where I will call on a large roster of players.''
It was only last year that Wing's hopes of representing Australia seemed forlorn.
ARL officials were left privately seething that he'd made himself unavailable for last year's PNG tour through injury despite going on a surfing trip with then-Roosters teammates Craig Fitzgibbon and Ashley Harrison.
However, the Rabbitohs halfback's form in the latter stages of this season has proved impossible to ignore.
from couior mail
It's believed the 28-year-old will be named tomorrow in Australia's Prime Minister's XIII team to take on Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on September 28.
The squad will be made up of players from the 12 sides not involved in the NRL finals with ARL officials intent on using the match as an important World Cup trial.
Alongside Wing, Newcastle's Ben Cross, the Titans Scott Prince and North Queensland's Luke O'Donnell are all in line to be chosen.
"It's an important match for not only the players that are chosen but for the continual development of the game,'' Australian coach Ricky Stuart said.
"This tour is also about giving our future representative players an opportunity to show what they're capable of under the microscope of the national selectors. We've shown that in the past with players like Chris Lawrence and Ben Pomeroy last year.
"The World Cup isn't just about one match either, this will be an arduous campaign where I will call on a large roster of players.''
It was only last year that Wing's hopes of representing Australia seemed forlorn.
ARL officials were left privately seething that he'd made himself unavailable for last year's PNG tour through injury despite going on a surfing trip with then-Roosters teammates Craig Fitzgibbon and Ashley Harrison.
However, the Rabbitohs halfback's form in the latter stages of this season has proved impossible to ignore.
from couior mail