Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters has recalled Reece Walsh to the starting line up at fullback for Australia’s third and final pool game against the Cook Islands on Saturday, with the big selection call coming at the expense of Clive Churchill Medallist James Tedesco.

Walsh’s return coincides with the inclusions of several other first choice stars, including captain Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin and gun five-eighth Cameron Munster.

Kevin Walters ahead of the Kangaroos’ clash with Fiji in Brisbane. Getty Images

Sam Walker is a notable omission and shifts to the reserves, with Walters opting for Tom Dearden to partner Munster in a revamped halves pairing, the third combination of the World Cup.

After surviving an almighty scare in a 36-22 victory over Fiji in Brisbane last week, Walters abandoned his experimental approach to selection, picking the team that he believes is the best line-up available.

It’s a particularly harsh assessment on Tedesco, who drops to the interchange bench to accommodate Walsh’s return, while David Fifita, Latrell Mitchell and Blayke Brailey also fall out of the squad for the Kangaroos’ final pool clash.

“There has been a lot of positives in what the team has produced in the tournament so far against some strong opposition, but we are looking to build on that with an 80-minute performance on Saturday night,” said Walters.

“We know that anyone we come up against is going to rise to the occasion of playing the Kangaroos, but we will continue focussing on our own game and building towards the knock-out stage of the tournament.”

Friday

England vs Samoa women (5:45pm, WIN Stadium, Wollongong)

England: 1. Fran Goldthorp 2. Anna Davies 3. Georgia Wilson 4. Connie Boyd 5. Amelia Brown 6. Isabel Rowe 7. Georgia Roche 8. Mary Coleman 9. Keara Bennett 10. Liv Wood 11. Lucy Murray 12. Hollie-Mae Dodd 13. Megan Williams 14. Jodie Cunningham 15. Vicky Whitfield 16. Hope Millard 17. Lucie Sams 18. Jenna Foubister 19. Ruby Bruce 20. Evie Cousins 21. Molly Jones

Samoa: 1. Destiny Mino-Sinapati 2. Mercedez Taulelei-Siala 3. Monica Tagoai 4. Tyra Ekepati 5. Freedom Crichton Ropati 6. Evania Isa’ako 7. Pauline Piliae-Rasabale 8. Annetta Nuuausala 9. Mary-Jane Taito 10. Laikha Clarke 11. Leilani Wilson 12/ Ivana Lolesio 13. Tavarna Papalii 14. Jetaya Faifua 15. Fanua Rimoni 16. Jaydika Tafua 17. Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa 18. Jasmine Fogavini 19. Christian Pio 20. Evelyn Roberts 21. Anastasia Leatupue 22. Amanii Misa

England vs Papua New Guinea men (8:05pm, WIN Stadium, Wollongong)

England: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Dominic Young 3. Hugo Savala 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Matty Ashton 6. George Williams (c) 7. Harry Smith 8. Max King 9. Jez Litten 10. Luke Thompson 11. Junior Nsemba 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Morgan Knowles 14. Mikey Lewis 15. Sam Walters 16. Ethan Havard 17. Victor Radley 18. Ben Currie 19. Jack Welsby 20. Brad O’Neill 21. Zach Eckersley 22. Kallum Watkins

Papua New Guinea: 1. Zac Laybutt 2. Robert Derby 3. Josh Feledy 4. Nene Macdonald 5. Dudley Dotoi 6. Gairo Voro 7. Bailey Biondi-Odo 8. Epel Kapinias 9. Edwin Ipape 10. Luca Moretti 11. Rhyse Martin (c) 12. Nixon Putt 13. Liam Horne 14. Finley Glare 16. Robert Mathias 17. Sanny Wabo 18. Valentine Richard 19. Zev John 20. Morea Morea 21. Rodrick Tai

Saturday

Fiji vs France women (1:20pm, Cbus Stadium, Gold Coast)

Fiji: 1. Cassie Staples 2. Maria Paseka 3. Isabella Waterman 4. Taina Naividi 5. Tahlia Marshall 6. Luisa Yaranamua 7. Losana Lutu 8. Latisha Smythe 9. Sereana Naitokatoka 10. Lorren Ieli 11. Elizabeth Naleba 12. Talei Holmes 13. Leilani Ahsam 14. Ema Masi 15. Aliti Namoce 16. Naomi Tegu 17. Rory Muller 18. Teaghan Hartigan 19. Sienna Laing 20. Abigayle Sekitoga 21. Nanise Vakacavu 22. Ebony Laing

France: 1. Manon Samarra 2. Margot Canal 3. Melissa Medina 4. Perle Ramazeilles 5. Haoua Kessely 6. Camille Boudaud 7. Lisa Diraison 8. Elisa Akpa 9. Cristina Song 10. Puche Elodie 11. Pacull Perrine Monsarrat 12. Stacy Bessiere 13. Leila Bessahli 14. Fanny Ramos 15. Salome Segala 16. Louisa Tooman 17. Justine Roses 18. Tessa Benmalek 19. Amael Vilanove 20. Noemie Samuel 21. Chahrazad Himoudi 22. Tallis Eranossian

New Zealand vs Fiji men (3:30pm, Cbus Stadium, Gold Coast)

New Zealand: 1. Keano Kini, 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Dane Gagai 4. Casey McLean 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. James Fisher-Harris (c) 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Moses Leota 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Briton Nikora 13. Joseph Tapine 14. Te Maire Martin 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Erin Clark 17. Xavier Willison 18. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 19. Scott Sorensen 20. Leo Thompson 21. Jacob Laban 22. Tanner Stowers-Smith

Fiji: 1. Sunia Turuva 2. Ronald Philitoga 3. Waqa Blake 4. Solomone Saukuru 5. Semi Valemei 6. Kurt Donoghoe 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Apisai Koroisau (c) 10. Emosi Ravosai 11. Taane Milne 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Caleb Navale 14. Josese Lanyon 15. Elijah Keung 16. Jordan Miller 17. Joseph Litidamu 18. Jordin Leiu 19. Apenisa Driti 20. Zion Johnson 21. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 22. Kylan Mafoa

New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea women (5:45pm, Cbus Stadium, Gold Coast)

New Zealand: 1. Apii Nicholls 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Abigail Roache 4. Stacey Waaka 5. Mackenzie Wiki 6. Zahara Temara 7. Raecene McGregor 8. Alexis Tauaneai 9. Georgia Hale 10. Shannon Mato 11. Shaniece Monschau 12. Kaiyah Atai 13. Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa 14. Ashleigh Quinlan 15. Otesa Pule 16. Brooke Anderson 17. Ivana Lauitiiti 18. Tenika Willison 19. Brianna Clark 20. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 21. Trinity Tauaneai 22. Annessa Biddle

Papua New Guinea: 1. Anika Butler 2. Ivania Wong 3. Relna Wuruki-Hosea 4. Tia Molo 5. Naomi Kelly 6. Fleur Ginn 7. Cynthiah Peters 8. Elsie Albert 9. Ua Ravu 10. Jenny David 11. Emily Veivers 12. Shellie Long 13. India Seeto 14. Therese Aiton 15. Essay Banu 16. Gemma Walker 17. Vanesa Nakas 18. Mala Mark 19. Mya Muller 20. Josephine Howard 21. Lilah Malabag 22. Jafinda Sap

Australia vs Cook Islands men (8:05pm, Country Bank Stadium, Townsville)

Australia: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Jack Bostock 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Bradman Best 5. Tom Trbojevic 6. Cameron Munster 7. Tom Dearden 8. Patrick Carrigan 9. Harry Grant 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Jacob Preston 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo (c) 14. Ethan Strange 15. Keaon Koloamatangi 16. Cameron Murray 17. Reuben Cotter 18. Lindsay Smith 19. James Tedesco 20. Sam Walker 21. Latrell Mitchell 22. David Fifita

Cook Islands: 1. Valentine Holmes 2. Paul Ulberg 3. KL Iro (c) 4. Reubenn Rennie 5. Cameron Brown 6. Maui Winitana-Patelesio 8. Davvy Moale 9. Ruatapu Ngatikaura 10. Rhys Dakin 11. Amare Milford 12. Delahia Wigmore 13. Mason Teague 17. Brad Takairangi 7. Esan Marsters 14. K-Ci Newton-Whare 15. Makahesi Makatoa 16. David Tuariki 18. Chaev Kolone 19. Glassie Glassie 20. Brody Tamarua 21. Pride Petterson-Robati 22. Esom Ioka 23. Reuben Porter

Sunday

Australia vs Wales women (3:40pm, Commbank Stadium, Sydney)

Australia: Tamika Upton, Jaime Chapman, Isabelle Kelly, Jessica Sergis, Abbi Church, Jesse Southwell, Tarryn Aiken, Ellie Johnston, Quincy Dodd, Makenzie Weale, Kezie Apps, Sariah Paki, Olivia Kernick, Keeley Nizza, Keilee Joseph, Sarah Togatuki, Tiana Penitani Gray, Shaylee Bent, Olivia Higgins, Millie Elliott, Jocelyn Kelleher, Sheridan Gallagher

Wales: 1. Leanne Burnell 2. Zoe Heeley 3. Jade Mullen 4. Hannah Bluck 5. Sian Williams 6. Ffion Lewis 7. Tayla Preston 8. Agnes Wood 9. Carys Marsh 10. Emily Hughes 11. Georgia Cussons 12. Paige Travis 13. Bethan Dainton 14. Kathryn Salter 15. Erin Williams 16. Gracie Hobbs 17. Lucia Davies 18. Dani McGifford 19. Amberley Ruck 20. Frances Layton 21. Hollie Brussels 22. Katie Carr

Lebanon vs France men (5:40pm, Commbank Stadium, Sydney)

Lebanon: 1. Jacob Kiraz 2. Tony Francis 3. Michael Gabrael 4. Jordan Samrani 5. Jason Saab 6. Joseph Nohra 7. Alex Conti 8. Jaxson Rahme 9. Moustafa Dirani 10. James Roumanos 11. Tony Sukkar 12. Abbas Miski 13. Alex Twal (c) 14. Yehya Ayache 15. Tupou Francis 16. Jalal Bazzaz 17. Khalil Rahme 18. Shadi Hammoud 19. Mikael Ibrahim 20. Ibrahim El Labban 21. Cameron Kanaan 22. Mohamed Alameddine

France: 1. Arthur Mourgue 2. Léo Darrelatour 3. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet 4. Roméo Tropis 5. Benjamin Laguerre 7. Thomas Lacans 8. Romain Navarrete 9. Alrix Da Costa 10. Julian Bousquet 11. Mathieu Cozza 12. Mathieu Jussaume 13. Benjamin Garcia (c) 14. Amir Bourouh 15. Lambert Belmas 16. Jordan Dezaria 17. Jowasa Drodrolagi 18. Théo Fages 19. Fouad Yaha 20. Tiaki Chan 21. Louis Grossemy 22. Arthur Romano

Tonga vs Samoa men (8:05pm, Commbank Stadium, Sydney)

Tonga: 1. Lehi Hopoate 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Robert Toia 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Tuimoala Lolohea 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Salesi Foketi 10. Jason Taumalolo (c) 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Siua Wong 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Soni Luke 15. Stefano Utoikamanu 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Taniela Paseka 18. Leka Halasima 19. Latu Fainu 20. Paul Alamoti 21. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 22. Sione Katoa

Samoa: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Brian To’o 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Sualauvi Faalogo 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Jarome Luai (c) 8. Francis Molo 9. Benaiah Ioelu 10. Junior Paulo (c) 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Jermaine McEwen 13. Francis Manuleleua 14. Jazz Tevaga 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Shawn Blore 17. Ata Mariota 18. Clayton Faulalo 19. Ronald Volkman 20. Pasami Saulo 21. Enari Tuala 22. Deine Mariner