Warrington connections to the Rugby League World Cup

With both the Super League and NRL campaigns nearing their end, attention will soon turn to who will be named in the international squads for the tournament, which kicks off on October 15.

George Williams is the only current Warrington Wolves player involved having been named in England's 24-man squad, but there are plenty of former Wire players and coaches involved as well as Warrington-born players.

Here is our full guide to people you may want to keep an eye out for…

COOK ISLANDS

The Kukis squad includes centre Anthony Gelling, who spent one season with The Wire back in 2020.

He scored seven tries in 13 appearances for Steve Price's side before returning to his native New Zealand for family reasons.

Anthony Gelling. Picture by SWPix.com (Image: SWPix.com)

NEW ZEALAND WOMEN

The Kiwi Ferns' squad includes Roxy Murdoch-Masila, the former captain of Warrington Wolves' women's team.

The wife of former Wire forward Ben, who is in the Tonga squad for the tournament, led the team to promotion from the Women's Championship in their inaugural season back in 2019.

She and her family headed back Down Under when Ben joined New Zealand Warriors and she now turns out for Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW.

Roxy Murdoch-Masila holds aloft the Women's Championship trophy in 2019. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

WALES

Three former Warrington Wolves players are included in the Wales squad for the tournament, including twin brothers Rhys and Ben Evans.

Having come through the club's academy together, outside back Rhys and prop Ben reached the first team and have gone on to become experienced internationals.

Rhys scored 42 tries in 105 appearances for the club while Ben played 21 times for The Wire, scoring two tries. Both now ply their trade in the Championship for Bradford Bulls.

They are joined in John Kear's squad by winger Rhys Williams, who started his career with Warrington and scored 21 tries in 29 appearances between 2010 and 2013. He now plays for Salford Red Devils.

Rhys Evans made more than 100 appearances for the Wire first team. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

ENGLAND

Half-back George Williams is the only Warrington Wolves player picked in the host nation's squad for the tournament.

As expected, he was included in Shaun Wane's 24-man party along with three of the club's former players.

Former captain Chris Hill, whose decade at the club came to an end when he joined Huddersfield Giants last year, is recalled while his fellow prop Mike Cooper, who left to join Wigan Warriors in mid-season, is also named.

There is also a place for uncapped hooker Andy Ackers, who came through The Wire's academy but left without making a first-team appearance, after a stellar year for Salford Red Devils.

George Williams is the only Wire player in the England squad. Picture by SWPix.com (Image: SWPix.com)

SCOTLAND

Former Wire winger Matty Russell is included in the Bravehearts squad for what would be his third World Cup.

Russell, who plied his trade for Toulouse Olympique in Super League in 2022, scored 31 tries in 97 appearances for The Wire between 2014 and 2018.

Also in the Scotland squad is second rower Ben Hellewell, who spent two seasons with Warrington in 2011 and 2012 without making a first-team appearance.

Matty Russell during his spell at Warrington Wolves. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

IRELAND

Prop Robbie Mulhern, whose two-year spell as a Warrington Wolves player is coming to an end, is in the Wolfhounds squad for the tournament.

Centre Toby King, who remains a contracted Wire player but will spend 2023 on loan at Wigan Warriors, is also included alongside his brother George - himself a former Warrington player - who has been named as captain.

Two more ex-Wolves join them in Ged Corcoran's squad in the shape of Richie Myler and Keanan Brand while Warrington-born Ed Chamberlain is also named.

Robbie Mulhern is part of the Ireland squad. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

LEBANON

Matt King will be on familiar ground when Lebanon face New Zealand at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on October 16.

The former Wire centre is part of the Cedars' backroom team for the World Cup having been appointed as an assistant to head coach Michael Cheika.

Having represented New South Wales and Australia, King joined Warrington in 2008 and enjoyed four successful seasons in England, touching down for 66 tries in 106 appearances and playing a part in back-to-back Challenge Cup Final wins in 2009 and 2010.

Matt King in action during the 2010 Challenge Cup Final. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

FRANCE

Former Warrington Wolves man Benjamin Jullien could be set for a return to The Halliwell Jones Stadium with France.

The second rower, who made 35 appearances for The Wire between 2016 and 2017, has been named in Les Bleus' 24-man squad for the tournament.

They are in Group A alongside hosts England, Samoa and Greece and their group stage campaign ends in Warrington as they meet Samoa on October 30.

Benjamin Jullien. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

ENGLAND WOMEN

There are three Warrington-born players in the England women's squad for the World Cup.

Skipper Emily Rudge leads the group and is joined by her fellow Cardinal Newman High School alumnus Jodie Cunningham.

Penketh's Tara Jones is also in the squad. All three play their club rugby league for St Helens in the Betfred Women's Super League.

Former Cardinal Newman High School pupils Emily Rudge and Jodie Cunningham are in the England women's squad. Picture by SWPix.com (Image: SWPix.com)

NEW ZEALAND

The Kiwis, who start their Group C campaign against Lebanon at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on October 16, have named former Wire centre Peta Hiku in their 24-man squad.

Hiku had a brief, try-laden spell at Warrington in 2017 – having joined mid-season from Penrith Panthers, he scored 10 tries in 11 games before returning to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors.

The 29-year-old currently turns out for North Queensland Cowboys.

Peta Hiku scored 10 tries in 11 Warrington appearances in 2017. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

Former Warrington Wolves head coach Steve Price will also be part of the New Zealand touring party as an assistant coach to head coach Michael Maguire.

Price led The Wire for 116 games between 2018 and 2021, guiding them to a Challenge Cup title in 2019, before taking up an assistant coach role at Cronulla Sharks for 2022.

Steve Price. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

TONGA

The extended squad named by 2017 semi-finalists Tonga includes former Warrington Wolves forward Ben Murdoch-Masila.

The powerful second-rower scored 20 tries in 68 Wire appearances between 2018 and 2020, including a try in each of his Challenge Cup Final run-outs for the club in 2018 and 2019.

He left ahead of the 2021 season to join current club New Zealand Warriors and if he makes the final cut, Murdoch-Masila would be playing in his third World Cup for Tonga having pulled on the red jersey in 2013 and 2017.

Ben Murdoch-Masila. Picture by SWPix.com (Image: SWPix.com)

GREECE

The tournament debutants’ squad includes Billy Magoulias, who had a brief spell with Warrington this year.

Billy Magoulias' time as a Wire player was short. Picture by SWPix.com (Image: SWPix.com)

Having signed from Cronulla Sharks, the loose forward suffered an ankle injury during pre-season training which meant he missed the first six weeks of the campaign.

When he did return to fitness, he made just eight appearances before being granted an early release from his deal to return to Australia on compassionate grounds, where he has spent the remainder of the year playing for Newtown Jets in the New South Wales Cup.

The squad is led by another former Warrington Wolves player in the shape of head coach Steve Georgallis, another whose time at the club was short having played 10 times during the 2001 campaign before suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Steve Georgallis played for Warrington in 2001. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)

Greece’s 25-man squad also includes Thodoris Nianiakas, who has been turning out for Woolston Rovers this year in National Conference League Division Two.

🔰 WORLD CUP CALL-UP FOR THEO 🔰

Everyone at Woolston Rovers would like to congratulate our Open Age player Thodoris Nianiakas for being called up into the @GreekRL squad for the @RLWC2021

We look forward to seeing him perform on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/ygxgNg9y3H

— Woolston Rovers RLFC (@woolston_rovers) September 14, 2022

SAMOA

England’s opponents for the opening game of the men’s tournament on October 15 will have former Warrington Wolves assistant coach Richard Agar among their backroom staff.

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Agar, who resigned from his position as Leeds Rhinos head coach following a poor start to 2022, would serve as an assistant to head coach Matt Parish for the tournament before heading to the NRL to take up a similar role with New Zealand Warriors next year.

Agar was part of Tony Smith’s coaching staff at The Halliwell Jones Stadium between 2014 and 2017 before leaving to take up a position at St George Illawarra Dragons.

Richard Agar spent three seasons as an assistant coach under Tony Smith at Warrington. Picture by Mike Boden (Image: Mike Boden)