Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has confirmed Nathan Cleary has won the halfback race and will start against Lebanon — but is battling illness, which is why Daly Cherry-Evans will be on the bench.

Meninga put the speculation to bed while speaking to Fox League on Thursday and revealed Cherry-Evans is on standby for Cleary but could also provide cover for Cameron Munster, who is carrying a niggle.

He added that “there’s a little bit of doubt” around Cleary and “injury issues” with Munster as well as skipper James Tedesco.

“(Cherry-Evans) is just sitting there in case we need him,” Meninga said.

Ben Hunt is being rested, while Regan Campbell-Gillard is still battling a leg injury.

When asked whether the quarterfinal line-up will be the team going forward with the exception of Hunt and Campbell-Gillard and if Hunt returns Cherry-Evans won’t play, Meninga said: “That’s what we’re looking at at the moment.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will miss the Kiwis’ quarter-final clash with Fiji after being charged for a high tackle against Ireland.

He was sin-binned for the incident and copped a one-match suspension for a Grade A high tackle.

Read below for the World Cup team lists and Late Mail.

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SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5

Australia vs Lebanon 6:30am AEDT at John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield

Australia team(in alphabetical order): Josh Addo-Carr, Patrick Carrigan, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Angus Crichton, Tin Fa’asuamaleaui, Campbell Graham, Harry Grant, Valentine Holmes, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, James Tedesco, Jake Trbojevic, Jack Wighton, Isaah Yeo

Late Mail: Coach Mal Meninga confirmed that “Nathan’s playing seven” and “DCE is at No.14 (bench utility) his week.” He said Ben Hunt is enjoying a rest while Harry Grant will play 80 minutes “to get his match fitness up.” Meninga also revealed that Cleary is “a bit ill at the moment” and both Cameron Munster and James Tedesco “have got some niggly injuries that we might need to rest them through the game so that’s why DCE is at No.14.” Meninga said Isaah Yeo will start at lock with Cameron Murray to come off the bench, while Liam Martin and Angus Crichton will start in the second row. Jake Trbojevic and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui will start at prop, as per Meninga, and Valentine Holmes will shift to wing to allow Jack Wighton to play in the centres. It’s not all smooth sailing though for the Kangaroos heading into their clash with Lebanon. Meninga missed a training session during the week due to an illness and revealed some of the playing group have been hit with the same virus. “We have a few guys who are a little bit crook at the moment with a virus and a bit of gastro... Most teams have had to endure that,” he said.

LIKELY KANGAROOS TEAM

1. James Tedesco

4. Valentine Holmes

8. Latrell Mitchell

10. Jack Wighton

9. Josh Addo-Carr

7. Cameron Munster

14. Nathan Cleary

18. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui

20. Harry Grant

5. Jake Trbojevic

17. Angus Crichton

21. Liam Martin

24. Isaah Yeo

2. Daly Cherry-Evans

11. Cameron Murray

13. Patrick Carrigan

15. Lindsay Collins OR 16. Reuben Cotter

Lebanon team: 1. Jacob Kiraz 2. Josh Mansour 16. Reece Robinson 4. Brad Morkos 5. Abbas Miski 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Mitchell Moses 13. James Roumanos 15. Andrew Kazzi 19. Khalil Rahme 11. Elie El-Zakham 12. Charbel Tasipale 17. Jalal Bazzaz 14. Anthony Layoun 8. Kayne Kalache 20. Jaxson Tahme 10. Hanna El-Nachar 3. Bilal Maarbani 18. Khaled Rajab

Late Mail: To come.

MORE NRL NEWS

NOV 1 FEEDING FRENZY: These players have the most to gain from a move ‘BOTH CAN PLAY’: Meninga reveals shock plan to pick Cleary and DCE

WC TALKERS: Star who makes ‘everything click’ revealed as Mal faces dilemma

SCHEDULING NIGHTMARE: NRL without stadiums for 57 days during FIFA WC

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6

England vs Papua New Guinea 1:30am AEDT at DW Stadium, Wigan

England team: 1 Sam Tomkins (c), 2 Tommy Makinson, 3 Kallum Watkins, 4 Herbie Farnworth, 6 Jack Welsby, 8 Tom Burgess, 9 Michael McIlorum, 11 Elliott Whitehead, 12 John Bateman, 13 Victor Radley, 14 Dom Young, 15 Morgan Knowles, 16 Matty Lees, 17 Mike Cooper, 18 Chris Hill, 20 Mike McMeeken, 21 Marc Sneyd, 24 Kai Pearce-Paul

Late Mail: To come.

Papua New Guinea team: 8 Wellington Albert, 13 Jacob Alick, 18 Keven Appo, 23 Watson Boas, 9 Edwin Ipape, 24 Zev John, 1 Alex Johnston, 7 Lachlan Lam, 6 Kyle Laybutt, 3 Nene MacDonald, 12 Rhyse Martin (c), 10 Sylvester Namo, 19 Jimmy Ngutlik, 4 Justin Olam, 11 Nixon Putt, 15 Daniel Russell, 22 Jeremiah Simbiken, 20 Rodrick Tai, 16 McKenzie Yei

Early Mail: To come.

New Zealand vs Fiji 6:30am AEDT at MKM Stadium, Hull

New Zealand team(alphabetical): Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jesse Bromwich (C), Kenny Bromwich, Dylan Brown, James Fisher-Harris, Kieran Foran, Peta Hiku, Jahrome Hughes

Isaac Liu, Joseph Manu, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Briton Nikora, Isaiah Papali’i, Jordan Rapana, Brandon Smith, Joseph Tapine, Scott Sorensen, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Early Mail: Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been suspended for one match for a high tackle against Ireland that saw him sin-binned, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak replacing him in the 19-man squad. Moses Leota, Marata Niukore, Sebastian Kris and Jeremy Marshall-King have been omitted after being named in a wider squad.

Fiji team: TBC

Late Mail: To come.

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MONDAY NOVEMBER 7

Tonga vs Samoa 1:30am AEDT at Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington

Tonga team: TBC

Late Mail: To come.

Samoa team: TBC

Late Mail: To come.