Shaun Wane has named his England Rugby League squad to take on Samoa in two-Test series in the coming weeks. The head coach has named a 24-man squad, with seven players dropping out of the performance group he named at the start of September.
Two uncapped players have been included with Wigan Warriors duo Junior Nsemba and Liam Marshall getting the nod following their remarkable campaigns at the Brick Community Stadium. The pair played key roles as Wigan won the quadruple and they’ll be looking to cap that with a Test series win over a star-studded Samoa outfit.
There are seven NRL based players included, with John Bateman, Dom Young, Victor Radley, Tom Burgess, Herbie Farnworth, Kai Pearce-Paul and Morgan Smithies set to link up with Wane’s squad.
Meanwhile Mikey Lewis has been given the nod, but there’s no room for his Hull KR teammates Elliot Minchella and Jez Litten, despite the former being included in the Dream Team this season.
Interestingly, Jake Wardle is among those to drop out of the fold, too, after his impressive season inside Liam Marshall on Wigan’s left edge. Wardle’s Wigan teammate Tyler Dupree also drops out with James Harrison, Tom Johnstone and Robbie Mulhern not making the cut, either.
England get the Test series underway next week when they take on Samoa at Wigan on October 27, before the two sides meet again the following weekend at Headingley.
Head coach Shaun Wane said: “I’m really excited by the squad I’ve been able to pick ahead of our two-game Test Series against Samoa.
“We know it’s going to be a tough test against the Samoans and there is already a lot of history between us from the Rugby League World Cup two years ago.
“All of the players have [been] picked based on their form over the last 12 months whether that be in the Betfred Super League or Down Under in the NRL and I’m confident heading into next week’s opener in Wigan.
“Following on from an impressive crowd at Old Trafford this past weekend, I am hoping the rugby league fans come out in numbers at both Wigan and Leeds and get behind England.”
Shaun Wane’s 24-man England Rugby League squad:
Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves)
John Bateman (Warrington Wolves)
Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Daryl Clark (St Helens)
Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves)
Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)
Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors)
Chris Hill (Huddersfield Giants)
Morgan Knowles (St Helens)
Matty Lees (St Helens)
Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)
Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors)
Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons)
Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)
Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors)
Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights)
Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters)
Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors)
Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders)
Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors)
Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves)
Jack Welsby (St Helens)
George Williams (Warrington Wolves)
Dom Young (Sydney Rabbitohs)
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