Manly Sea Eagles’ Daly Cherry-Evans will get the first chance to stake a claim for Australia’s hotly-contested half-back spot after being named in a side that includes seven debutants for the Kangaroos’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Leeds on Saturday.

Cherry-Evans is one of just seven players who appeared in Australia’s last match in 2019 and is chosen ahead of Penrith’s Nathan Cleary, with coach Mal Meninga opting to rest the four players – Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin and Reagan Campbell-Gillard the others – who played in the NRL Grand Final nine days ago.

North Queensland Cowboys youngsters Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai and Reuben Cotter have all been rewarded for breakout seasons and will make their debuts alongside Gold Coast Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Sydney Roosters back-rower Angus Crichton, Melbourne hooker Harry Grant and Brisbane loose forward Pat Carrigan.

“This is an extremely strong team and suits what we are trying to achieve over the whole tournament,” said Meninga.

“The Grand Final players will not play against Fiji, while a number of the players we have named have not played in weeks. It’s important to give them match time as we look at our combinations.

“All of the players who will not play against Fiji will play the next match against Scotland.”

Full-back James Tedesco, who played for Italy in each of the two previous World Cups, will captain the Kangaroos for the first time.

Team: J Tedesco (Sydney Roosters); J Addo-Carr (Canterbury Bulldogs), L Mitchell (South Sydney), V Holmes (North Queensland), M Taulagi (North Queensland); C Munster (Melbourne), D Cherry-Evans (Manly); T Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast), B Hunt (St George Illawarra), J Trbojevic (Manly), A Crichton (Sydney Roosters), J Nanai (North Queensland), C Murray (South Sydney).

Replacements: H Grant (Melbourne), R Cotter (North Queensland), P Carrigan (Brisbane), J Wighton (Canberra).

Australia name team for Fiji opener as Mal Meninga rests NRL Grand Final stars

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