Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has confirmed back-to-back NRL premiership-winning halfback Nathan Cleary will start at halfback for Australia in their next pool match against Scotland.

Incumbent Daly Cherry-Evans started against Fiji in Leeds but will be rested against the Bravehearts in favour of Cleary.

“Daly will get another opportunity… he won’t play this week but certainly against Italy he will be there,” Meninga told SEN.

“If it keeps on going the way it is, Lebanon played really well against the Kiwis, you’d assume that they would come second in that group so we would play Lebanon in the quarter finals. I’d imagine by the quarter finals I would have to have most of the team sorted out but I’m going to give everyone the best opportunity to be involved in the semi-finals.”

Australia play Scotland in Coventry on Saturday morning, Sydney time.