Australia unchanged for Rugby League final

Australia have named an unchanged team for Saturday’s World Cup final against New Zealand at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

Winger Brent Tate, who damaged a hip flexor muscle in last Sunday’s 52-0 semi-final win over Fiji, and loose forward Paul Gallen, who sat out training yesterday with a dead leg, have both been named in coach Ricky Stuart’s starting line-up.

The only change to the side that beat England is on the bench, where veteran second rower Craig Fitzgibbon gets the vote ahead of Josh Perry.

New Zealand, too, are unchanged from their 32-22 semi-final win over England.

Team: B Slater (Melbourne); J Monaghan (Canberra), G Inglis (Melbourne), I Folau (Melbourne), B Tate (NZ Warriors); D Lockyer (Brisbane, capt), J Thurston (North Queensland); P Civoniceva (Penrith), C Smith (Melbourne), S Price (NZ Warriors), G Stewart (Manly), A Laffranchi (Gold Coast), P Gallen (Cronulla).

Subs: K Hunt (Brisbane), C Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters), A Tupou (Sydney Roosters), B Kite (Manly).