Australian coach Mal Meninga says selection in the Kangaroo team to take on New Zealand in the ANZAC Test on May 5 was based on loyalty to the Four Nations winning squad.

A number of players could consider themselves lucky to have missed out on selection after excellent form in the first two months of the NRL season.

The coach though says while he always intended to base his ANZAC Test team on the team that won the Four Nations trophy, form in the NRL will be a big factor in World Cup selection at the end of the season.