Rugby League World Cup: Elliot Kear leads Wales in Cook Islands opener
- Published
Elliot Kear was Wales vice-captain at the 2017 World Cup down under
Rugby League World Cup 2021 - Cook Islands v Wales |
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Venue: Leigh Sports Village, Leigh Date: Wednesday, 19 October Kick-off: 19:30 BST |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and online; Live text and highlights on BBC Sport website & app |
Elliot Kear will captain Wales in their Rugby League World Cup opener against Cook Islands on Wednesday in Leigh.
The Bradford Bulls back is the second pupil from Whitchurch High School in Cardiff to lead his country at a World Cup, after union's Sam Warburton.
The 19-man squad includes 14 of the matchday squad who faced France in a warm-up game in June.
Leigh Centurions' Caleb Aekins is in line to make his tournament debut on his Leigh Sports Village club ground.
Twins Connor and Curtis Davies are also included, as is Salford Red Devils wing Rhys Williams - Wales' record cap holder and try scorer.
Ollie Olds - whose brother James does not make the matchday 19 - is among those who did not feature against France but are part of the squad to face Cook Islands.
The Valley Diehards scrum-half, 29, retired from rugby league in 2020 after a series of injuries, but was talked out of retirement by his brother earlier this year and returned to play.
Josh Ralph, Rhodri Lloyd, Dan Fleming and Aekins are the other men to be included who did not feature in the mid-season international.
After their Group D opener, Kear's men face Tonga on Monday, 24 October at St Helens and then Papua New Guinea on Monday, 31 October in Doncaster.
Cook Islands: 14 Tevin Arona, 7 Johnathon Ford, 3 Anthony Gelling, 1 Kayal Iro, 8 Makahesi Makatoa, 5 Steven Marsters, 4 Esan Marsters, 20 Davvy Moale, 10 Tepai Moeroa, 17 Rua Ngatikaura, 19 Pride Petterson-Robati, 11 Dominique Peyroux, 12 Brendan Piakura, 23 Reuben Porter, 16 Reubenn Rennie, 6 Brad Takairanga (captain), 9 Aaron Teroi, 13 Zane Tetevano, 2 Paul Ulberg.
Wales: 1 Caleb Aekins, 2 Rhys Williams, 4 Will Evans, 5 Dalton Grant, 6 Elliot Kear (captain), 7 Josh Ralph, 8 Anthony Walker, 9 Matty Fozard, 10 Dan Fleming, 11 Rhodri Lloyd, 12 Chester Butler, 13 Ben Evans, 14 Ollie Olds, 15 Curtis Davies, 16 Joe Burke, 17 Bailey Antrobus, 18 Connor Davies, 19 Mike Butt, 21 Tom Hopkins.