Rugby League World Cup final: Australia unchanged while Samoa bring in Connelly Lemuelu

Australia have named an unchanged squad for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup final against Samoa at Old Trafford.

The Kangaroos are aiming to win the World Cup for the third time running and the 12th time overall.

Samoa have made one change to their 19-man squad, with Connelly Lemuelu replacing the injured Fa'amanu Brown.

Brown was concussed during Samoa's dramatic 27-26 semi-final win over hosts England last Saturday so Chanel Harris-Tavita will start at hooker.

This will be the 23-year-old's final match before taking a break from the game.

Now that his contract with the New Zealand Warriors has expired, Harris-Tavita plans to go travelling in 2023 and pursue his newfound passion of writing.

Samoa are depleted in the number nine position as Danny Levi, who spent the 2022 season with Huddersfield Giants, has had to return down under for a family emergency.

• Rugby League World Cup a 'resounding success'

• George Williams column: 'I felt sick when Samoa's drop-goal winner went over'

• Australia's women rotate squad for New Zealand final

Experienced half-back Daly Cherry-Evans helped Australia beat New Zealand in the 2013 final at the same venue but Nathan Cleary has been preferred at scrum-half since Cherry-Evans, 33, played in the Kangaroos' World Cup opener.

Cleary, 25, goes into the final as the tournament's leading points scorer (62) while winger Valentine Holmes needs two more tries to equal compatriot Billy Slater's record for the most World Cup tries (16).

In their semi-final win over New Zealand, Australia's opposite winger Josh Addo-Carr equalled Holmes' record of most tries in a single tournament (12) so can claim it outright at Old Trafford.

Josh Papalii also played for Australia in the 2013 final before the Canberra Raiders forward, 30, switched his international allegiance to Samoa.

Samoa are playing in the final for the first time and aim to become just the fourth nation to win the World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1954, after Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand.

• What went wrong for England in golden-point exit to Samoa?

• Was Australia-New Zealand semi-final the best game ever?

• Fixtures, results and BBC coverage times

Australia squad

Josh Addo-Carr, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Pat Carrigan, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Reuben Cotter, Angus Crichton, Tino Fa'asuamaleuai, Harry Grant, Valentine Holmes, Ben Hunt, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, James Tedesco, Jake Trbojevic, Jack Wighton, Isaah Yeo.

Samoa squad

Stephen Crichton, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Royce Hunt, Oregon Kaufusi, Tim Lafai, Connelly Lemuelu, Spencer Leniu, Jarome Luai, Taylan May, Anthony Milford, Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo, Ligi Sao, Ken Sio, Jaydn Su'a, Joseph Suaalii, Martin Taupau, Brian To'o, Kelma Tuilagi.