TWO East Lancashire bobbies will be hoping to be a force to be reckoned with when they take part in the Police Rugby League World Cup.

Stuart Meeks, from Great Harwood, and Blackburn’s Michael Kearns have been selected for Great Britain to play in the championships in Australia.

The month-long competition will run alongside the main Rugby League World Cup to be staged in October and November.

The pair, who play for Blackburn Knights, earned their World Cup call-up after impressing in a Test series against New Zealand at the end of last year.

Beat bobbies Meeks, 31, is based in Rochdale while 24-year-old Kearns works in his native Blackburn.

“I’m really looking forward to it and I think we have a really good chance,” said Meeks, a former St Christopher’s High School pupil. “We have had some very encouraging warm-up matches and we can’t wait to get to Australia.”

The Police World Cup and the Women’s Rugby League World Cup will be held at Stockland Park as part of the Australian Rugby League’s Centenary of Rugby League Cele-brations The finals will take place Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as a curtain raiser to the main Rugby League World Cup semi-final.

And Meeks, who and also plays for Lancashire Combined in the National Police League, is relishing the prospect.

“I’ve played a few times for Great Britain but it will be nothing like this,” said Meeks who joined Accrington Rugby League Club in 1999 and stayed with the club when it changed its named to Blackburn Knights and moved to Ramsgreave Drive last season. “If we get to the final then we will have the chance to play at the Suncorp Stadium before the main semi finals.”

Kearns played rugby union at Blackburn as a youngster but started to play league while studying at Leeds University.

“Blackburn is hardly a hot bed when it comes to playing rugby league,” said Kearns who is also a prop forward and also plays for Lancashire Combined.. “But I really got in to it when I went to university.”

Great Britain will be up against favourites Australia and New Zea-land along with Papua New Guinea while Jamaica and Russian, not noted for the rugby league prowess, have also entered teams.

Kearns added: “I think we have a good a chance as anyone. New Zealand and Australia will be the favourites but we are not just going there to make up the numbers.”

Meanwhile, Knights will again be playing in NWCL Division Five and secretary Steve Clemence will be hoping for better fortunes this time around.

“Last season wasn’t the best but you are always going to struggle when you can’t attract players. But that is what happens when you play rugby league in an area that is not traditionally known when for the sport.

“But we do have some talented players in the squad, Stuart and Michael are both examples of that, and we will be hoping to bring in a few new faces before the season kicks off.”

The Knights will kick off the new season with a new sponsor having signed a shirt deal with Great Harwood-based Kay Traffic Management.

Anyone interested in joining the Blackburn Knights can contact Steve Clemence on 07952 547057.