Tuesday, 13 May 2008

The greatest rivalry in world sport is heating up.


The two State of Origin teams announced their squads today and the surprise news is that full back Karmichael Hunt is to begin the first game at five-eighth (stand off). Peter Wallace, Broncos youngster, was also called up to play in the scrum half role for New South Wales after Kurt Gidley’s injury ruled him out. Staying with the Blues camp, Craig Fitzgibbon returns to the Origin cauldron after an absence of two years on the interchange bench while Israel Folau remains in the position he played for Australia against New Zealand last weekend on the wing outside Justin Hodges. Newbie Jarryd Hayne, who scored one of the finest Origin tries I have ever seen last year, is back on the NSW wing up against Folau playing outside Mark Gasnier. Johnathan Thurston will partner Hunt at scrum half while Greg Bird will partner Wallace at five-eighth. The full backs will be Billy Slater for the maroons and Brett Stewart for the Blues.



The full teams are listed below.

Queensland

Billy Slater

Brent Tate

Greg Inglis

Justin Hodges

Israel Folau

Karmichael Hunt

Johnathan Thurston

Carl Webb

Cameron Smith (c)

Petro Civoniceva

Michael Crocker

Sam Thaiday

Dallas Johnson


PJ Marsh

Ben Hannant

Nate Myles

Jacob Lillyman



New South Wales

Brett Stewart

Jarryd Hayne

Mark Gasnier

Matt Cooper

Anthony Quinn

Greg Bird

Peter Wallace

Brett White

Danny Buderus (c)

Ben Cross

Ryan Hoffman

Willie Mason

Paul Gallen


Anthony Laffranchi

Anthony Tupou

Craig Fitzgibbon

Ben Hornby

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