Nathan Cayless has been selected to captain New Zealand at the upcoming Rugby League World Cup with Pirtek Parramatta Eels team mate Krisnan Inu named alongside him in the Kiwis squad today, however the news has been tempered with Australian selectors able to find no place for any Eels player in their 24 man team.

2007 Australian representatives Jarryd Hayne and Nathan Hindmarsh were unable to force their way back into the Kangaroos squad, with Hindmarsh’s recent appearance for the Prime Minister’s XIII not enough to oust selected specialist second rowers Michael Crocker (Storm), Anthony Laffranchi (Titans), Glenn Stewart (Sea Eagles) and Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles).

Hayne is now likely to line up for Fiji after missing out on Australian selection.

Better news for the Eels came from across the Tasman, with Cayless selected to lead the Kiwis for the first time in four years.

Cayless had previously captained New Zealand in two tests in 2001 and another in 2004 and will resume the captaincy in the absence of the injured Roy Asotasi.

Inu’s return to the New Zealand side comes after he missed selection in this year’s Centenary Test due to an ankle injury sustained in the Eels round one clash against the Bulldogs.

Both Cayless and Inu have been named in the New Zealand All Golds team to play the New Zealand Maori this Sunday at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, with fellow Eel Weller Hauraki to line up at prop for the Maori.

The New Zealand team will then assemble in Auckland on Monday ahead of a World Cup warm up Test against Tonga, to be played at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday 18 October.

The Eels will be represented on the staff of both the Australian and New Zealand sides, with head trainer Craig Catterick helping out the Kangaroos and strength & conditioning coach Hayden Knowles on the Kiwis management team.

The Kiwis and Kangaroos are due to meet on the opening weekend of World Cup competition, the Pool 1 heavyweight bout to follow the tournament’s official opening ceremony at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday 26 October.

Teams representing Scotland, Ireland, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji will be announced at Parramatta Stadium – host of two World Cup matches – at 11am tomorrow, Wednesday 8 October.

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2008

Australia:
DARREN LOCKYER [Captain] (Brisbane Broncos), TERRY CAMPESE (Canberra Raiders), PETERO CIVONICEVA (Penrith Panthers), MICHAEL CROCKER (Melbourne Storm), CRAIG FITZGIBBON (Sydney Roosters), ISRAEL FOLAU (Melbourne Storm), PAUL GALLEN (Cronulla Sharks), KURT GIDLEY (Newcastle Knights), JUSTIN HODGES (Brisbane Broncos), GREG INGLIS (Melbourne Storm), BRENT KITE (Manly Sea Eagles), ANTHONY LAFFRANCHI (Gold Coast Titans), JOEL MONAGHAN (Canberra Raiders), JOSH PERRY (Manly Sea Eagles), STEVE PRICE (New Zealand Warriors), SCOTT PRINCE (Gold Coast Titans), BILLY SLATER (Melbourne Storm), CAMERON SMITH (Melbourne Storm), BRETT STEWART Manly Sea Eagles), GLENN STEWART (Manly Sea Eagles), BRENT TATE (New Zealand Warriors), JOHNATHAN THURSTON (North Queensland Cowboys), ANTHONY WATMOUGH (Manly Sea Eagles), DAVID WILLIAMS (Manly Sea Eagles). COACH: RICKY STUART

New Zealand:
NATHAN CAYLESS [Captain] (Parramatta Eels), ADAM BLAIR (Melbourne Storm), GREG EASTWOOD (Brisbane Broncos), DAVID FA’ALOGO (South Sydney Rabbitohs), NATHAN FIEN (New Zealand Warriors), DENE HALATAU (Wests Tigers), LANCE HOHAIA (New Zealand Warriors), KRISNAN INU (Parramatta Eels), DAVID KIDWELL (South Sydney Rabbitohs), THOMAS LEULUAI (Wigan Warriors), JEFF LIMA (Melbourne Storm), ISSAC LUKE (South Sydney Rabbitohs) SIMON MANNERING (New Zealand Warriors), SIKA MANU Melbourne Storm), BENJI MARSHALL (Wests Tigers), STEVE MATAI (Manly Sea Eagles), SAM PERRETT (Sydney Roosters), SAM RAPIRA (New Zealand Warriors), JEROME ROPATI (New Zealand Warriors), SETAIMATA SA (Sydney Roosters), JEREMY SMITH (Melbourne Storm), IOSIA SOLIOLA (Sydney Roosters), MANU VATUVEI (New Zealand Warriors), BRENT WEBB (Leeds Rhinos). COACH: STEPHEN KEARNEY

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