RUGBY 08 WORLD LEAGUE TEAM PROFESSIONAL

RГ©mi Casty is a bustling Catalans prop who runs at defences with reckless disrespect Scotland John Monie is a laconic Australian who maintained his love of a good chardonnay during four trophy-laden seasons in charge of Wigan and relishes spending time in the south of FranceД«eating Scotland, Fiji and Samoa or Tonga to reach the semi-finals and underline the renaissance inspired by the Catalans Dragons Paul BarriГЁre, president of the French league, was the driving force behind the first World Cup in 1954 and saw the home side beat New Zealand 22-13 in the opening game at Parc des Princes.

Played in all 12, losing finals to Great Britain in 1954 and Australia in 1968 Was in contention for a Kangaroo call-up until he committed to the Batis France Jarryd Hayne is a Parramatta back whose eventful year started with an escape from a drive-by shooting in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross district.

RUGBY 08 WORLD LEAGUE TEAM PROFESSIONAL

Joe Dakuitoga - one of three members of that Fiji squad who subsequently joined Sheffield Eagles for their first Super League season and gained valuable professional experienceДЄ couple of high-scoring wins, against Scotland and France

Played the last two events, failing to qualify from their groupДЄn exhilarating 52-6 destruction of South Africa in their first World Cup game, at Keighley's Cougar Park in 1995 One surprise win in the pool of death, although one respectable defeat may be a more realistic targetДЄnton Kui is a centre from the Bingtangor Lahanis and is thought the Kumul most likely to impress any interested Australian or British clubs Played in three - lost to Wales in the quarter-finals in 2000Д«eat Tonga 30-22 thanks to two tries from Stanley Gene, now of Hull KR and in this year's squad, on a memorable night in Perpignan in 2000, securing that quarter-final placeДЄdrian Lam is a living legend in a league-loving nation, having captained his country's team in the 19 competitions and also played for Wigan, the Sydney Roosters and Queensland He will be assisted during the World Cup by the Brisbane Broncos legend Wayne BennettДЄ repeat of the 2005 Tri-Nations final victory over Australia at Elland Road, but that seems unlikely without several senior players and the inspirational coach Brian McClennanД«enji Marshall, a gifted Wests Tigers half-back who is finally fit for a major international tournament Papua New Guinea Stephen Kearney, formerly a tough second-row with Melbourne Storm and a Challenge Cup winner with Hull in 2005, now an assistant to Craig Bellamy at Melbourne. Humiliated England 49-6 in the 2000 semi-final at the Reebok Stadium, inspired by Stacey Jones, Henry Paul and Richie Barnett Played in all 12, lost the final to Australia in 19 Leon Pryce, the St Helens stand-off, can provide the midfield attacking threat that British teams have been lacking for decades New Zealand Has spent eight years living and working in YorkshireДЄ famous final victory over the hosts in Brisbane, if everything goes exactly to plan Tony Smith is an Australian whose application for British citizenship was recently accepted. A mostly English Great Britain team played in the other nine events and won the cup in 1954, 19Д«eating Australia 20-16 in the first match of the 1995 tournament at Wembley - but they lost the final against the same opponents at the same venue Played in three tournaments, finishing as runners-up in 19 and as badly beaten semi-finalists in 2000. The Melbourne Storm utility back has a scary combination of power, elusiveness and pace England He now leads the Cronulla SharksДЄnything other than a seventh consecutive win would be a scar on the career records of all the players involved The former Canberra Raiders and Kangaroos scrum-half has proved his coaching pedigree by winning an NRL Premiership with Sydney Roosters. Wally Lewis led the Kangaroos to victory in the 1988 final against New Zealand at a packed Eden Park despite breaking a bone in his arm Have played in every final except the first, in France in 1954

Rugby 08 world league team