Bradford prop Andy Lynch will captain England for Sunday’s friendly against Cumbria Lynch is one of three Bradford players named by ex-Bulls boss Steve McNamara for the Garry Purdham Testimonial against Cumbria at Whitehaven. Purdham, killed in the Cumbria shootings in June was a former Whitehaven and Workington favourite.
Paul Sykes is at stand-off, while Jamie Langley gets the loose forward slot. Warrington have four players in for the final warm-up ahead of Monday’s 24-man tour party announcement. Though of course the squad is without St Helens and Wigan players, who are playing in the Super league Grand Final at Old Trafford.
Steve McNamara said (quote) I have a good feeling about the performance we will put in, in memory of Garry Purdham, and all of the players understand the situation. The stakes are high and the squad have trained really well and the players are up for the game. The enthusiasm has shone through in practice all week. A lot of these players haven’t played for a while and the game time will be invaluable. We leave for the Four Nations next Friday and all the players know that places on the trip are still up for grabs. They know there are no guarantees which makes them even more committed to playing well. That’s a big incentive for everyone involved. There is also the fact that we are representing England, which means everything to the players, and the desire to do what we can for Garry’s family. (end quote)
Cumbria’s team will be skippered by Garry’s brother Rob Purdham, who will be joined on the park by two of his Harlequins team-mates Tony Clubb and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who are both in the England team.
Teams
Cumbria (from): Calvert, McAvoy, Jackson, Hill, Miller, Mattinson, Sice (Whitehaven); Frazer, Mossop, Low, Coward, Pedley (Workington Town); Broadbent, Harrison, Campbell, McDermott (Barrow); Davies, Brocklebank (Egremont); Purdham, Wilkes (Harlequins); Amor (Leeds); McNally (Huddersfield); Clarke (Warrington); Gardner (St Helens).
England: Riley (Warrington), Fox (Hull KR), Shenton (Castleford), Clubb (Harlequins), Briscoe (Hull FC), Sykes (Bradford), Myler (Warrington), Lynch (Bradford) capt, Higham (Warrington), McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Westerman (Castleford), Westwood (Warrington), Langley (Bradford).
Replacements: Atkins (Warrington), Broughton (Salford), Carvell (Warrington), Harrison (Warrington), Murrell (Hull KR), Scruton (Bradford).