Hornets players selected for Fiji and Wales ahead of Rugby League World Cup

Two Rochdale Hornets players have been selected by their international teams ahead of the Rugby League World Cup.

Joe Taira has been selected to play for Fiji in the warm-up match against England, at the AJ Bell Stadium on 7 October, whilst Gavin Bennion has been named in the Welsh world cup squad.

Taira was invited into the Fiji camp at Leconfield in late September and joined a squad of established NRL and Super League players, such as Mikaele Ravalawa and Kevin Naiqama.

Taira will provide cover for missing Fiji Bati stars who will be representing Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels in the NRL Grand Final this weekend.

The head coach of Fiji is Joe Rabele who is being assisted by the former Leeds Rhinos, Toronto Wolfpack and Featherstone Rovers coach Brian McDermott.

 

 

Taira and the rest of the Fiji squad moved to Rochdale this week.

Hosted by Rochdale Hornets, they will engage in several community events and have already utilised the training facilities at Hopwood Hall College to prepare for Friday’s warm-up game.

Rochdale has a long relationship with Fiji dating back to the 1960s but Taira will make history as the first Hornets player to gain international honours for his country.

Taira first joined Hornets in 2016 from Rochdale Mayfield, playing for three seasons including winning the ‘Try of the Season’ award in 2017.

The forward joined Batley Bulldogs ahead of the 2019 Championship season, making 19 appearances and scoring three tries under Matt Diskin. He will return to Mayfield for the 2023 NCL Premier League season.

Bennion returned to Rochdale Hornets in 2021 for his third spell with the club. The prop counts Warrington, Halifax, Swinton, Salford and Australia’s Mackay Cutters amongst his previous clubs. Playing his amateur rugby at Latchford Albion, Bennion joined Warrington's youth system and made his Super League debut for Salford against Wigan.

Bennion previously represented Wales at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, and also played in John Kear's squad at the World Cup 9s in 2019.

Fiji will play Australia in their first game in the world cup on 15 October and Wales' first match is against the Cook Islands on 19 October.