Greg caught drink-driving hours after being named captain of Kangaroos

Australian rugby league player Greg Inglis was caught drink-driving by police in his home state of New South Wales on Monday just hours after being named the captain of the national Kangaroos team, state media reported.

Inglis, who plays for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, was stopped by police near the town of Lithgow on the way back to Sydney after attending an Indigenous rugby league competition in Dubbo on Monday, ABC said.

His licence was suspended and he was due to appear in Lithgow Court in November after being charged with "mid-range" drink-driving and speeding offences.

Earlier on Monday, Inglis had been named the captain of the Mal Meninga-coached Kangaroos for tests against New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland this month, succeeding long-serving skipper Cameron Smith.

Australia test selector Laurie Daley said he expected the 31-year-old Indigenous Australian, a pin-up of the National Rugby League competition, to step down from the captaincy.

"It has to change things," Daley told the Big Sports Breakfast show on Sky Sports Radio on Tuesday.

"Greg's been a terrific leader for South Sydney and Queensland but I don't think you can have the Australian captain going DUI (driving under the influence).

"I'm pretty sure Greg and Mal will come to the decision that he needs to step down as captain of his country."

The drink-driving charge is another black eye for Australian rugby league and comes two days after the NRL Grand Final ended in the controversy surrounding an injury cover-up by the victorious Sydney Roosters.

Roosters staff admitted to lying repeatedly about an injury to halfback Cooper Cronk ahead of the game against Melbourne Storm in a bid to influence their opponents' preparations.

The deceit was slammed on Tuesday by media pundits, who demanded the NRL tighten rules on injury disclosure.