Shaun Wane’s bold Herbie Farnworth claim as NRL centre shares injury update ahead of Ashes

It’s just over a fortnight until the rugby league Ashes begin and there’s a fitness update on England centre Herbie Farnworth, a player who head coach Shaun Wane has lauded the praise on.

Farnworth’s Dolphins didn’t make the NRL play-offs despite being the competition’s highest-scorers and the Englishman contributed his fair share of those points, scoring 12 tries and creating nine more in his 19 appearances.

His season got cut short in early August due to a hamstring injury with the Dolphins flyer pulling up abruptly during one of his trademark tackle busts and that triggered fears that he wouldn’t be available for the Ashes.

England host Australia for the first time in 22 years with this meeting being the first since the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Final, and that rarity of playing the Aussies is something that head coach Shaun Wane has leaned into when speaking to his players.

A clip published by England Rugby League saw Wane explaining how his players may not get another chance and whilst Farnworth wasn’t in the room, he still felt the message.

“It was very good and I got goosebumps watching that through Instagram,” Farnworth told the AAP, before adding: “I will hopefully see the speech again when I am over there.”

Herbie Farnworth the best centre in rugby league, claims Shaun Wane

The 25-year-old will be part of Wane’s Ashes squad having come through his hamstring issue and he shared an update, confirming that he had been in “full training” and more importantly, was “feeling match fit”

“The hamstring is good now, touch wood, so I am just excited to get back playing in the Ashes series. I can’t wait for that,” Farnworth explained.

Touching on some of what Wane had said in that speech to the English-based players, the centre said:  “It will be massive. Last time we had a Test series we lost 3-0. It hasn’t happened in 22 years so it might be the only Tests we play in my career.

“It is the one shot where we get to show what the English have.”

Whilst Shaun Wane won’t confirm his squad until Monday, it’s almost certain that Farnworth will be in the squad based on talent and from how he spoke about the NRL man when speaking to the AAP.

“I am absolutely so happy that Herbie is going to be right for the Ashes,” Wane said.

“He is a massive part of what we do. Herbie being fit is a massive shot in the arm for England.”

He’d then go further, arguing: “I would say he is the best centre in the world. The way he plays, teams can’t hold him. He is a great athlete.”

Despite that claim, Farnworth was snubbed for the Dally M Centre of the Year having being named as one of the two winners in the past two years alongside Stephen Crichton, who retained his crown with Kotoni Staggs replacing Farnworth in 2025.

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