League: British to keep test combinations secret

Great Britain have confirmed they will attempt to keep secret their halves combination for the test against New Zealand until just an hour before kickoff on Sunday morning.

The subterfuge came as Great Britain centre Keith Senior was passed fit to play his first game in seven weeks and New Zealand referee Glen Black was confirmed to handle the match.
While Stacey Jones seems certain to play in his last test, despite a minor injury, the great mystery of the lead-up is which of Paul Deacon, Richard Horne, Rob Burrow and Iestyn Harris will make up Great Britain's scrumbase combination.

Kiwis coach Brian McClennan has already slated the British practise of naming a side only the day before the game but the home team were unconcerned.

"We'll be leaving it until an hour before kickoff to announce that," Great Britain team manager Phil Clarke said yesterday.

"We have to name a 19-man squad the day before. We'll be taking 24 to London."

All four halves are likely be in the final 19.

So secretive are the Great British camp that they will train in Salford before bussing through peak hour traffic in London on the eve of the match to avoid the pre-match spotlight.

"We like to name it early for the public's sake but, if they're going to do that, we're going to have to do it too, which is pretty poor," McClennan said.

One secret Great Britain were willing to divulge was the fitness of Senior, who hasn't played since lasting just half of Leeds' Challenge Cup final loss to Hull in August due to an ankle injury.

Great Britain held an opposed session against the England squad and Clarke said: "He went fine, I think. He is fully fit."

The appointment of Black, not popular with the Australians, is a break with the policy of appointing referees from neutral countries for pool stage matches.

Black, who turned down an approach from the National Rugby League this year, has been in Britain for several weeks, gaining match practice.

Meanwhile, Clinton Toopi (shoulder) is expected to supplant Shontayne Hape in the centres for the Kiwis.

"He's had a miraculous recovery, he's really come on," said McClennan of Toopi's recovery from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of his team's 26-28 loss to Australia in Albany last Friday.

- AAP