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Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 11:12 GMT 12:12 UK
Johns to captain Kangaroos
Johns (left) replaces Brad Fittler (right) as captain
The BBC will show exclusive terrestrial highlights of the one-off Test in Sydney on the Super League Show on 14 July at 1115BST.
New South Wales scrum-half Andrew Johns has been named captain of the Australian team to play Great Britain in the one-off rugby league Test in Sydney on Friday. Johns beat off the challenge of Queensland captain Gorden Tallis and takes over from Brad Fittler as skipper. The selectors have chosen four new caps and made no fewer than 11 changes to the team that wrapped up a 2-1 Ashes Series victory over Britain last November. The newcomers are Newcastle team-mates Timana Tahu and Scott Simpson, Brisbane rookie centre Brent Tate and Canterbury's giant forward Willie Mason.
Australian Rugby League (ARL) chairman Colin Love admitted the selectors had struggled to pick the new captain. Love said: "The board has had to choose from some outstanding candidates and it has been anything but an easy task. "That said, we have enormous faith in the ability of Andrew to lead the Kangaroos both on and off the field." Meanwhile, Johns has become the latest target of the Australian Rugby Union. Union target Johns has another two years to run on his deal with the National Rugby League's Newcastle Knights. But Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jeff Miller has admitted that he wants him to play for the Queensland Reds and the Wallabies after the 2003 World Cup. "I am very interested in speaking to Andrew Johns. I make no secret of that," said Miller. "I would not rule out the possibility of him playing in the 2007 World Cup. He is an unbelievable footballer."
Australia: D Lockyer (Brisbane); L Tuqiri (Brisbane), S Timmins (St George Illawarra), C McKenna (Cronulla), T Tahu (Newcastle); T Barrett (St George Illawarra), A Johns (Newcastle, capt); S Webcke (Brisbane), D Buderus (Newcastle), J Ryles (St George Illawarra), G Tallis (Brisbane), S Simpson (Newcastle), S Hill (Melbourne). Subs: J Stevens (Cronulla), S Menzies (Northern Eagles), B Tate (Brisbane), W Mason (Canterbury).
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