Wood completes elevation to Great Britain élite

The young Warrington prop, Paul Wood, is the surprise inclusion in Great Britain's 22-man squad to face Australia next month.

"It's a fantastic story," the Great Britain coach, David Waite, said. "This time last year he was being told he hadn't made the England A squad.

"Since then he's pushed himself with hard work, guts and determination. We have a particular role he can play for us against Australia."

The 22-year-old Wood admitted to being taken unawares by his selection. "I just thought it was one of the Australian guys at the club taking the mickey," he said. "I couldn't speak because I was in shock. I was sitting at home waiting for the England A manager to ring and I was beginning to think I might not be in that."

Wood is one of four uncapped players in the squad, the others being the Wakefield centre Gareth Ellis, the Castleford hooker Ryan Hudson, and Wigan's Irish winger Brian Carney. "It's a fantastic honour for me to pull on a shirt worn by so many great players," Carney said.

Among those omitted from Waite's initial 28-man squad was Leon Pryce, who yesterday pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at Teeside Crown Court and was released on bail for three weeks before sentencing. Waite had already decided not to take the Bradford player to the squad's training camp in Spain this week.

"If they can't travel with the team, they can't be with the team," said Waite, who also left out Ryan Bailey, the Leeds forward recently released from a young offenders' institution.

The other unfortunates to miss out are Danny Orr, Martin Gleeson, Paul Wellens, Paul Johnson and Chris Thorman, most of whom can expect to be named in the England A squad for their internationals this autumn when it is announced today.

The former Great Britain coach, Malcolm Reilly, has left his job on the coaching staff at Leeds. Reilly had spent the last two seasons as assistant to Daryl Powell, who is moving to the role of director of rugby. Powell has decided not to renew Reilly's contract and will now work alongside the new coach, Tony Smith.

"I have no immediate plans, but I would like to stay involved with the game," Reilly said.

Super League clubs will tonight meet to discuss an improved offer from Sky to screen League matches and internationals from next season. Under the proposals, the BBC will televise the Challenge Cup, to be played later in the season.

The deal will take the total value of television rights to around £60m over five years. "I expect the clubs to be happy with it," the Rugby League's executive chairman, Richard Lewis, said. "It's a good outcome in a difficult market."

GREAT BRITAIN SQUAD for Test Series v Australia: P Anderson (Bradford), B Carney (Wigan), G Connolly (Leeds), P Deacon (Bradford), G Ellis (Wakefield), A Farrell (Wigan, capt), S Fielden (Bradford), M Forshaw (Bradford), L Gilmour (Bradford), D Hodgson (Wigan), R Horne (Hull), R Hudson (Castleford), S Long (St Helens), B McDermott (Leeds), A Morley (Sydney Roosters), T Newton (Wigan), J Peacock (Bradford), K Radlinski (Wigan), P Sculthorpe (St Helens), K Senior (Leeds), K Sinfield (Leeds), P Wood (Warrington).