Gary Connolly will play his last game of rugby league at Wigan tomorrow night but the centre now has his eyes on a high-profile postscript to his rugby career in the union World Cup in Australia next year.

Connolly, who will join Orrell after winning his 29th Great Britain cap in the third and deciding Test against New Zealand, revealed that he has been approached by Mike Ford, the former Wigan and Oldham scrum-half, now defensive coach for Ireland.

"They're looking for players and I said I would be interested," said the 31-year-old, who used his grandparental qualification to play for Ireland in the 2000 league World Cup. "There is always a possibility that if I play well in rugby union I could play in the World Cup. That would be something special."

Connolly has had two short stints in union before, with Orrell last winter and in 1996-97 with Harlequins. He was also approached by the England manager Clive Woodward to make a full-time switch with Jason Robinson two years ago. Connolly stayed in league, though, to win seven more Great Britain caps, including tomorrow's Test.

Great Britain yesterday named an 18-man squad with Adrian Morley, the Sydney Roosters forward who missed the drawn second Test because of a virus, in the second row, even though he has still not returned to training. Wigan's Terry O'Connor has been included as cover. Barrie McDermott, the Leeds prop dropped after the first Test defeat, is recalled to the starting line-up in place of O'Connor.

New Zealand have suffered yet another blow, and potentially the most significant of all, as Stephen Kearney, their experienced second row, has flown home to Melbourne to be with his sick son. The coach Gary Freeman is down to 18 fit players.

· Australian rugby league has followed the example of American Football by outlawing draws. From next season, any match level after 80 minutes will be determined by the first scorer in an unlimited period of extra-time.

Great Britain: Connolly (Wigan); Pryce (Bradford), Gleeson (St Helens), Senior (Leeds), Gilmour (Bradford); Sculthorpe (St Helens), Deacon (Bradford); Fielden (Bradford), Lowes (Bradford), McDermott (Leeds), Morley (Sydney Roosters), Farrell (Wigan, capt), Forshaw (Bradford). Substitutes: Orr (Castleford), Horne (Hull), Peacock (Bradford), Anderson (Bradford). 18th man: O'Connor (Wigan).