Sean O’Loughlin will have to wait at least another week before leading his country for the first time after conceding defeat in his battle to shake off an injury sustained in the Super League Grand Final. Instead James Graham, the former St Helens prop who was O’Loughlin’s major rival to take over the national captaincy following the representative retirement of Kevin Sinfield, will lead England in the opening match of the Four Nations series against Samoa in Brisbane on Saturday.
Injuries have been a regular frustration for O’Loughlin since he made his international debut for Great Britain against Australia in the 2004 Tri-Nations series but England’s coach, Steve McNamara, said he is confident that the Wigan loose forward will have recovered from a strained thigh muscle to face the Kangaroos in Melbourne on 2 November.
“It’s a blow because he’s our leader,” McNamara said of O’Loughlin’s absence from England’s first Test against Samoa, which represents the classic potential banana skin. “But James is a great bloke to have as his replacement.”
Unlike O’Loughlin, Graham has done the job before, having filled in as captain during the 2010 Four Nations following injuries to Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley. He also has recent experience at the highest level, as he was appointed co-captain of his Sydney club Canterbury for their Grand Final defeat against South Sydney earlier this month.
Joe Westerman, a 24-year-old Hull loose forward who has long been tipped for international honours but has still to fulfil his potential consistently, takes O’Loughlin’s place at the back of the pack, behind an all-Wigan second row of Liam Farrell and Joel Tomkins. Tomkins earns a surprisingly early international league recall only months after his return from rugby union, meaning he will play alongside his younger brother, Sam, for the first time in more than three years.
Westerman is one of four debutants in the 17 with the Wigan scrum-half Matty Smith and two hookers. Josh Hodgson, who is to join Canberra next season after his impressive form for Hull KR, will start with Daryl Clark, the Castleford youngster who was named Man of Steel as the Super League player of the season, coming off the interchange bench.
Samoa were instructed not to consider three members of their squad after their alleged involvement in a nightclub brawl last weekend but still field a team packed with explosive NRL regulars, including Frank Pritchard, Daniel Vidot and David Fa’alogo – as well as Ben Roberts, a stand-off who will team up with Clark at Castleford next season.
Greg Inglis has been confirmed to start at full-back for Australia in their opening fixture against New Zealand in the absence of the injured Billy Slater.
England S Tomkins (New Zealand Warriors); J Charnley (Wigan), K Watkins (Leeds), M Shenton (Castleford), R Hall (Leeds); G Widdop (St George Illawarra), M Smith (Wigan); G Burgess (South Sydney), J Hodgson (Hull KR), J Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs, capt), L Farrell (Wigan), J Tomkins (Wigan), J Westerman (Hull). Interchange: D Clark (Castleford), B Ferres (Huddersfield), T Burgess (South Sydney), C Hill (Warrington).
Samoa Tim Simona, Antonio Winterstein, Ricky Leutele, Joey Leilua, Daniel Vidot, Ben Roberts, Kyle Stanley, Sam Tagaetese, Michael Sio, David Fa’alogo, Frank Pritchard, Leeson Ah Mau, Josh McGuire. Interchange: Pita Godinet, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Isaac Liu, Mose Masoe, Dunamis Lui (one to be omitted).
