I had two names in there that are absent from his selection. Peter Fox can consider himself rather unlucky after doing little wrong in his Test debut against France, but he is a victim of the ability of Lee Smith and Mark Calderwood to catch the eye in the play-offs.

If you are going to go off current form, I can't argue against their getting the nod, but I would have taken Stuart Fielden. He has got enough of his old intensity back. But, then again, his value would have been as a starting prop and is he really going to start games ahead of Morley, Peacock and Graham?

The two names I didn't have were Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Jamie Langley. Again, I wouldn't say a word against JJB's selection; his form in the play-offs was outstanding and he has the ability to push up and play prop if required - and with only four specialists in the party it could be.

Langley's presence is more of a surprise, because his form hasn't struck me as his best this season. But GB and England managements have always loved him, not least for his leadership skills and all round good-egg credentials.

If there's one name I'm delighted to see in the squad it's Mick Higham, one of the most likeable lads in the game and an abject lesson this season in how to deal with rejection. He could have gone into a monumental sulk when Wigan clumsily made it clear that they no longer wanted him. Instead, he has produced some of the best form of his career.

There are, as he has been told, no guarantees that he will play in Australia, but World Cups have a funny habit of producing unlikely heroes.