Bradford Bulls provide nine players for the 24-man England squad named today for the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup which starts on October 28.

Coach John Kear has gone for the men in form by selecting all but three of the players from the big four clubs of Wigan, St Helens, Bradford and Leeds, but with an eye on youth, with 17 of the squad aged 25 or under.

The rookies are Leeds centre Chev Walker, who at 17 becomes one of the youngest-ever internationals, and team-mate Kevin Sinfield (20), the Bulls trio of Stuart Fielden, Jamie Peacock and Scott Naylor and prop Francis Stephenson, recently freed by Wakefield. The other Bulls are Paul Anderson, Paul Deacon, Mike Forshaw, Nathan McAvoy, Leon Pryce and Stuart Spruce.

England kick off their world Cup campaign against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, October 28, and also play Fiji and Russia in their group.

Meanwhile, Bulls coach Matthew Elliott praised the performances of his youngsters during the 25-12 defeat at Hull yesterday. They were handed their chance as he rested nine senior players with the play-offs in mind.

"We saw a lot of Super League potential on both sides today," Elliott said. "This was an ideal opportunity to give these youngsters a chance of Super League football which they wouldn't normally get.

"It is only playing in these games that they will learn and for my youngsters to go to the Boulevard and play in front of their fans is an added experience. I would just have liked a little more possession to show what they could do with the ball."

England squad: Anderson (Bradford), Cummins (Leeds), Deacon (Bradford), Farrell (Wigan, capt), Fielden (Bradford), Fleary (Leeds), Forshaw (Bradford), Haughton (Wigan), Howard (Brisbane), Long (St Helens), McAvoy (Bradford), Morley (Leeds), Naylor (Bradford), Peacock (Bradford), Pryce (Bradford), Radlinski (Wigan), Rowley (Halifax), Sculthorpe (St Helens), Senior (Leeds), Sinfield (Leeds), Smith (Wigan), Spruce (Bradford), Stephenson (Wakefield), Walker (Leeds).