Gleeson said: ìItís a real honour. Iíve never done it before but Iíve matured over the last couple of years and I do take a senior role on the training field. I see it as a natural progression and I will relish it.î

Normally a centre, he will play at stand-off tomorrow in another sign of Smithís policy†

of picking players who can fill more than one role.

Smith wants to give those squad members whose clubs did not make the play-offs some game time before England fly to their Gold Coast base on Monday ahead of their opening pool game against Papua New Guinea on October 25.

The rest of the side are seen as a stand-by squad for the World Cup in case of injury.

ENGLAND: Briscoe; Fox, Shenton, Sykes, Calderwood; Gleeson (capt), Myler; Fielden, Higham, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Hock, Westwood, Purdham. Substitutes: Hodgson, Langley, Griffin, Clubb.