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http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24501494-5003409,00.html
England target the World Cup
By Dean Ritchie | October 15, 2008 11:00pm
COCKY England - the nation Australia loves to hate - has become the first team to publicly declare they are here to steal our cherished World Cup.
The 24-man England squad arrived on the Gold Coast yesterday to prepare for the tournament's first match - against PNG in Townsville on October 24.
England's bravado comes as French and former Parramatta coach John Monie claimed the Poms should not be under-rated or under-estimated to win the Cup.
England have chosen a powerful side which includes Wests Tigers-bound Gareth Ellis, Martin Gleeson, Danny McGuire, Adrian Morley, Jamie Peacock, Leon Pryce, Keith Senior and Paul Wellens.
England, or Great Britain, as they participated then, last won the World Cup back in 1972 - Australia winning all six World Cups since.
Pommy forward Rob Purdham said his entire squad was ready to fight for starting positions. "That's a battle that starts in Australia,'' he said.
"We are all one squad out there and are all striving for the same thing, to win the World Cup. If I push someone else they are going to improve their game, if I get in someone is going to be pushing me all the way, and that's going to make the whole squad better.''
Kangaroos forward Craig Fitzgibbon said: "I'm sure England will be coming out here meaning business.''
England coach Tony Smith spoke about his side's stellar preparation. "I'm sure that come our first game we're going to be ready,'' Australian-born Smith said.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Monie spoke highly about the English squad. "England has named a very strong squad,'' he said. "The English Super League has been getting better each year, which means there is plenty of competition for spots in the Test side.
"They've got depth in the forwards and speed in the halves and out of dummy-half. We held them to 18-14 at halftime but they hammered us in the second half.''
Monie promised his French side would be "competitive'' despite having 12 players from the local French competition - most of the remainder were chosen from Catalans.
"If I said the standard of the local French competition was Queensland Cup I'd probably be lying,'' Monie said. "It's not that good, and they had their Grand Final back in May. But we'll be competitive. We struggle against the nations with plenty of NRL players but we'll take it as it comes. We will have a tough forward pack - we'll have a dig.''
Monie also warned: "You never know about the Kiwis either. Wayne (Bennett, assistant coach) has gone there and (head coach) Steve Kearney was a tough, uncompromising player who will give them a lot of character.''