Rugby League World Cup 2013: England"s Gareth Hock thrown out of tournament

England have declined to elaborate on the circumstances behind Hock’s

expulsion and say there will be no further comment on the matter. But the

development is another huge embarrassment for England, just four days before

their match at the Millennium Stadium.

Hock, who won the last of his eight caps against France in the final of the

2012 autumn international series, was in the England team that lost 15-14 to

Italy and was firmly in contention to face the Kangaroos.

It is not the first time the Wigan-born forward has jeopardised his career. In

June 2009 he tested positive for cocaine following tests on a sample of

urine taken during a match between Wigan and Salford and was given the

mandatory two-year ban.

Wigan stood by their player and in May 2011 he signed a new contract taking

him to the end of 2015. He made a high-profile return against Huddersfield

towards the end of the 2011 Super League season and regained his England

place last season. Hock then went through a public fall-out with his club at

the end of the international series and joined Widnes on a season-long loan

deal.

In May he was handed a four-game ban for making deliberate contact with

referee George Stokes in a Challenge Cup-tie against Workington. It followed

a similar incident in 2008.

Hock had a month earlier signed a two-year contract with Australian club

Parramatta Eels, starting in 2014, but pulled out of the move when his

partner became pregnant and instead he agreed to join Salford. It is not

clear whether the latest development in his turbulent career will affect his

move to the Red Devils.

Hock’s removal paves the way for Ferres to make his England debut. The

27-year-old former Bradford, Wakefield and Castleford second rower was not

in McNamara’s elite training squad at the start of the year but forced his

way into contention on the back on a hugely impressive first full season

with Huddersfield.

Ferres, who played a key role in the Giants topping the table for the first

time for 81 years, played in England’s mid-season game against the Exiles

and was named in the 2013 Super League Dream Team.

He did not make McNamara’s 24-strong World Cup squad but impressed the coach

when playing for England Knights in their 52-16 win over Samoa at Salford

last Saturday and remained on stand-by with the squad in Loughborough.

Ferres is unlikely to play against Australia but will hope to win his first

cap in the group matches against either Ireland or Fiji.

Article source: http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/regional/newsid=2069206.html

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Rugby League World Cup 2013: England"s Gareth Hock thrown out of tournament