England v Australia first Ashes Test team news as Shaun Wane makes key hooker call

The first Test of the rugby league Ashes is here and the team news for England and Australia has been confirmed.

As is NRL tradition, Australia named their 17 on Tuesday with Kevin Walters handing out four debuts and that team has now been confirmed again.

However, Shaun Wane had just named a 19-man squad with a number of key calls still to be made.

That 19-man squad had already seen some major decisions made with Harry Smith left out, missing an England game for the first time since the 2022 Rugby League World Cup.

Mikey Lewis was named with the Hull KR star set to play alongside George Williams in the halves, something which has now been confirmed.

Ironically, the England team had actually been inadvertently leaked on Friday afternoon by video game developer Ross Symons. The man behind Rugby League 26 shared images of both Wembley changing rooms, though England’s saw each changing spot adorned with a player name, thus revealing the squad.

Jez Litten named on the bench for England

That leaked squad has now been named by Shaun Wane with Mikolaj Oledzki and AJ Brimson missing out from the initial 19-man squad. Brimson has been named as England’s 18th man.

It means Jack Welsby will start at full-back, as expected, with the back line completed by Dom Young, Jake Wardle, Herbie Farnworth, Tom Johnstone, and then the aforementioned halves of Lewis and Williams.

Wigan’s Ethan Havard gets the start at prop along with Matty Lees leaving Alex Walmsley, Mike McMeeken and Owen Trout as reinforcements on the bench.

NRL pair John Bateman and Kai Pearce-Paul play in the second row with Morgan Knowles locking the pack but it’s the decision at nine that may have been Wane’s toughest, with Daryl Clark starting and Jez Litten named on the bench.

England XIII: Jack Welsby; Dom Young, Jake Wardle, Herbie Farnworth, Tom Johnstone; George Williams, Mikey Lewis; Ethan Havard, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees; John Bateman, Kai Pearce-Paul; Morgan Knowles

England interchanges: Jez Litten, Alex Walmsley, Owen Trout, Mike McMeeken

The Australia team is the same as was named on Tuesday with Reece Walsh, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Gehamat Shibasaki and Keaon Kolomatangi all debuting.

Australia XIII: Reece Walsh; Mark Nawaqanitawase, Kotoni Staggs, Gehamat Shibasaki, Josh Addo-Carr; Cameron Munster, Nathan Cleary; Patrick Carrigan, Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuameleaui; Angus Crichton, Hudson Young; Isaah yeo

Interchanges: Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden, Keaon Kolotmatangi

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