Three key positional battles in Ashes opener as England and Australia name squads

The squads have been announced for this Saturday’s rugby league Ashes opener, with Shaun Wane making the shock decision to omit Wigan Warriors half-back Harry Smith from his initial 19-man squad.

Smith has been left out of the Wembley opener in favour of Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis, whose Man of the Match winning performance in the Grand Final is thought to have earned him a spot in the England side.

The squad still leaves many questions unanswered, and we won’t know who plays where until around 90 minutes before kick-off, but now we have at least some idea of Wane’s selection, there are some head-to-head match-ups between England and Australia that are a mouth-watering prospect.

We have taken a look at the three biggest positional battles that look set to take place on the field this Saturday, with stars from all over the world littered across every aspect of the pitch.

The three key match-ups in Wembley opener after England and Australia squads named

Props: Mike McMeeken and Matty Lees vs Patrick Carrigan and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui

If England are to compete, let alone win the opening Test, their pack will have to be immaculate. The likely England starters will be Wakefield’s McMeeken and Saints’ Lees, with extra fire power coming off the bench.

Both Broncos captain Carrigan and Fa’asuamaleaui are more equipped to playing at loose forward, but their size and speed make them just as effective in the front row.

McMeeken has had arguably a career-best season for Trinity this year, and whilst Saints have struggled have times, Lees has been a strong, consistent performer. It won’t be easy, but if they can get on the front foot and dominate the early moments of the game, England will have a chance at continuing that momentum throughout the rest of the game.

Full-back: Jack Welsby vs  Reece Walsh

England’s best number one vs the best number one in the world – a prospect worthy of an occasion like the Ashes. Whilst he may not have had his best season at club level, Welsby always performs in an England shirt, and should he start will be the only player to play every game under Shaun Wane since the 2022 World Cup.

Meanwhile Walsh has showed his talent on many occasions, none more so that the NRL Grand Final, where he played an instrumental role in pulling Brisbane back into the game and eventually going on to earn the victory.

His speed and agility makes him hard to handle, and he’s a mean tackler too. England will certainly need to target him if they want any success on Saturday, with the Kangaroos debutant looking to kick off his international career with a bang.

Centre: Herbie Farnworth vs Kotoni Staggs

These two have been two of the best in the world in their position for a couple of years now, and having been teammates together at Brisbane Broncos, will know everything about each other.

Whether Farnworth plays on the left edge remains to be seen, with Jake Wardle likely to be the other England centre and he is also a left-edge player. However, the battle between him and Staggs looks set to be a cracker, as his has been on many occasions in the NRL.

Perhaps England’s best player, Burnley-born Farnworth has a impressive six tries in as many matches for his country, with three of those coming in last year’s series win over Samoa.

Of course, in every area of the pitch, England will have to be at their very best, as will Australia. A halves pairing of what looks to be George Williams and Mikey Lewis is a new, but interesting dynamic that has the potential to pester and break down the Kangaroos, whilst the hooker role will be key too. Does Wane go with an attacking-minded Jez Litten or a defensively solid Daryl Clark?

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