Why Aussie-born Scotland internationals should be in Great Britain mix - Wigan Warriors' Steve McCormack

England coach Wayne Bennett will have a bigger pool of players to draw his national squad from this autumn following the decision to revive the GB banner after a 12 year absence.

As well as Welsh players such as Wigan prop Ben Flower and Saints winger Regan Grace, Bennett will be able to consider Australian players who qualify for the home nations.

St Helens full-back Lachlan Coote, 28, has already said he would be keen, having previously played for the Bravehearts, and St George Illawarra centre Euen Aitken, 23, would also qualify.

And McCormack, the Warriors’ welfare officer, coached Scotland for 14 years and says the overseas players he had more than proved their commitment to the St Andrew’s Cross.

“Our Australian-based players like Lachlan, Euen and Kane Linnett are all outstanding individuals and showed a massive commitment to Scotland,” said McCormack, who has no issue with calling up eligible players through their ancestry.

“If they’re eligible and play well, they should be considered. When they came over to play for us, they got pocket money.

“They were away from their families for five weeks, they sacrificed holidays, weddings, operations, all sorts – and they all performed at the top level.

“It underlined it for me how much it meant to them to play for Scotland.”

Details of the GB tour, set to start in October, have still not been confirmed.