Southerners on show for England in warm-up tie

Eight members of Tony Smith's World Cup squad get their pre-tournament run-out tomorrow night in an England team which includes three Harlequins players. Rob Purdham, who is in the party for Australia, will be joined on the field against Wales at Doncaster by Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Tony Clubb, both products of the Greenwich Admirals club.

With the Oxford-born Darrell Griffin on the bench, it will be the first time three southern players have appeared together in an international.

Martin Gleeson will captain England from stand-off, with Adrian Morley resting a stomach strain and joining 15 St Helens and Leeds players in sitting it out.

The Welsh coach, John Dixon, has named four uncapped players in his 18 for his first match in charge. They are Lee Williams, Geraint Davies and Ben Flower of the Celtic Crusaders and Rhys Griffiths of Warrington.

The former Hull and Wigan prop Scott Logan, who now plays for Canberra, is the only survivor from the 2000 World Cup in the Scottish squad named yesterday.

Warrington say Louis Anderson's selection in the Tongan World Cup squad is an administrative error. The utility forward is recovering from an operation on a broken arm. Awen Guttenbeil, who retired from club rugby at the end of Castleford's season, has been included, but will have to prove he is qualified before taking his place.

Samoa have named eight Super League players in a squad strong enough to make them favourites in a group including Tonga and Ireland.

Steve Ganson and Ashley Klein are the British-based referees on duty for the tournament.