Australian Prime Minister’s XIII

Meninga: This is a genuine trial for us

Coach Mal Meninga made it clear the Kangaroos team for the Rugby League World Cup 2017 is close to be finalised.

“This is a genuine trial for us, for the players for the upcoming World Cup. We picked our strongest available side.”

Meninga said all players in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII are in calculation to make the Kangaroos.

“Tomorrow is part of a really important process we have for the players to maintain their match fitness, and then obviously we’ll pick the Kangaroos side after the NRL grand final.

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The Jillaroos are due in at 12.35pm with the Australian PM’s XIII side arriving from Cairns half an hour later at 1.10pm.

Both teams will enter through the ceremonial park for the public to greet them.

Following this, a media conference will be held at 3.30pm at the Stanley Hotel where the Australian PM’s XIII coach, Mal Meninga, and captain Aaron Woods plus Jillaroos coach, Brad Donald, and captain Ruan Sims, will attend.

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With a little more than a month to go until the Rugby League World Cup, Coach Mal Meninga says the annual invitational match would be used as a genuine selection trial for players pushing for spots in the Kangaroos’ World Cup squad.

The six debutants; Valentine Holmes, Andrew Fifita, Api Koroisau, Dylan Walker, Bird and Paul Vaughan, will take their place in the team travelling to PNG next week, with the match to be played at the National Football Stadium in the nation’s capital.