The picture is of Tom Howley, proudly wearing his Soldiers League pin on his GBAF blazer. Tom is one of the five Army players and three Army support staff within the Great Britain Armed Forces touring party who have recieved Soldiers League sponsorship to help defray their out of pocket expenses. The two match tour culminates in the curtain raiser at the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. Their kick off time is 1615 local on Wed 8 Jul (0115 BST Thur 9 Jul). Soldiers League wishes them all the best of luck and congratulates Tom and the rest of the team on their selection.

Below is an extract from GBAF Facebook page. Further details can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Britain-Armed-Forces-Rugby-League/841595605877064

TEAM ANNOUNCED:

THE TOUGH decisions have been made by GB Armed Forces head coach WO Damian Clayton and the starting 17 for the clash with the Australian Armed Forces side to be played as the curtain-raiser to the State of Origin 3 clash has been announced.

Clayton who watched his charges carry out a last run out at their RAAF Amberley
base in Ipswich, Brisbane this evening, said: "I am really confident about it, I had some tough decisions to make, it wasn't nice having to go to tell the four guys that they haven't made it, after they have come to the other side of the world, all desperate to make the team, but in my opinion the decisions are the best for the team.

"We have got a strong squad and I could have picked any of those 21 players, but I have gone for partnerships that I think will be strongest come the end of the game at the Suncorp."

None of the RAF man's selections were made due to injuries. "The players have been picked purely on selection and how they work alongside each other, although funny enough we have just had a possible injury come up during the captain's run, which is why we name 18 men." Despite hearing the tough news, Clayton was proud the players not selected are all still fully behind the squad. He said: "It's about mateship, it's about this journey we have been on, and of course they are upset, I would be disappointed if they weren't, but at the end of the day, if we beat the Australians, it will be because of a collective effort and not just down to those that were on the pitch."

1: James Hutchinson (C)
2: Si Wray
3: Dave Hankinson
4: Siliv Buinimasi
5: Vuli Veikune (Army)
6: James Young (Army)
7: Garry Dunn
8: Josh Scott
9: Kev Botwood
10: Tom Howley (Army)
11: Ben Taylor
12: Lee Queeley
13: Tommy Wilkinson
Interchanges:
14: Lee Davies
15: Mark Robinson
16: Jordan Andrade
17: Uam Bradley
18: Jordan Kerman (Army)

Squad Members include:

Michael Harrison (Army)

Team Admin include:

Jamie Doig (Army)
Alex Nichols (Army)
Dave Groce (Army)