Shaun Wane makes huge Jack Welsby call as squad for second Test confirmed

England rugby league head coach Shaun Wane has selected his 19-man squad for the second Ashes Test with changes confirmed as expected.

There have been widespread calls for a change to the England squad following their lacklustre showing at Wembley, losing the opening Test 26-6.

Some of those calls have come from down under with a suggestion that Wane has been reluctant to play NRL players, with AJ Brimson among those who has been most talked about, particularly given Jack Welsby’s disappointing performance at Wembley.

Brimson is yet to play for England and only changed his national allegiance earlier this year with the Gold Coast Titans Player of the Year previously representing Australia in the Nines World Cup.

Speaking at his press conference on Tuesday, Shaun Wane confirmed that changes would be made, revealing that between two and four changes could be expected.

He’s now confirmed his 19-man squad that will take on Australia at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the second rugby league Ashes Test.

AJ Brimson set for England rugby league debut

The major decision that Shaun Wane has made is to drop Jack Welsby with AJ Brimson named in the squad for the second week in a row. It appears that will be a like for like change within the matchday squad.

Another key call is for NRL second row John Bateman to miss out, however, that is due to the veteran not feeling 100%. He drops out alongside Welsby and Ethan Havard with the three players call up being Harry Smith, Morgan Smithies and Kallum Watkins.

Watkins for Bateman would be a like for like swap whilst Smithies will add to the pack in place of Ethan Havard, who played just an opening 20-minute stint at Wembley, however, Harry Smith in for Jack Welsby is not like for like.

It would suggest AJ Brimson replacing Welsby at full-back with Smith likely set to step into the halves, most likely at the expense of Mikey Lewis who could still be used as utility on the bench.

Both hookers Daryl Clark and Jez Litten are named whilst unused player Mikolaj Oledzki is also named to the 19-man squad for the second week in a row.

The five players not named to the squad are the aforementioned, Welsby, Havard and Bateman, as well as Harry Newman and Joe Burgess.

England squad to face Australia in second rugby league Ashes Test

AJ Brimson

Daryl Clark

Herbie Farnworth

Tom Johnstone

Morgan Knowles

Matty Lees

Mikey Lewis

Jez Litten

Mike McMeeken

Mikolaj Oledzki

Kai Pearce-Paul

Morgan Smithies

Harry Smith

Owen Trout

Alex Walmsley

Jake Wardle

Kallum Watkins

George Williams

Dom Young

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👇 Shaun Wane has named his 19-player squad for the Second @ABKbeer Ashes Test at @EvertonStadium on Saturday!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #EnglandRL pic.twitter.com/ijrzbvZpKR

— England Rugby League (@England_RL) October 30, 2025