Test series player ratings as England secure comfortable 2-0 victory over Samoa

England completed a 2-0 series whitewash over Samoa over the weekend as Shaun Wane’s side prepare for the challenge of facing Australia next year.

Shaun Wane’s side produced two dominant and classy showings with a 34-18 win coming at the Brick Community Stadium in the first Test before Saturday’s 34-16 win at Headingley Stadium.

There were a host of star performers over the two games and here’s our series player ratings.

Jack Welsby: A threat in the first Test in Wigan but struggled to shine despite scoring a try in the second game. 6

Matty Ashton: One of his England’s best with a brace coming in the first Test. He built on that with an acrobatic finish on Saturday as Samoa struggled to handle his athleticism at times. 7.5

Harry Newman: Created George Williams’ effort in the first Test but it’s fair to say he needs a strong 2025 campaign to keep hold of his place ahead of Jake Wardle. 6

Herbie Farnworth: The star of the series and what’s frightening is he is only getting better. Three tries across the series and for many he is now the best centre on the planet. 9

Dom Young: Steady away in the first Test but missed the second game through injury. 6.5

Liam Marshall: Looked the part on his international debut after stepping into the fold to replace Young as he claimed a well-taken try. 7

George Williams: A runner up in the player of the series race, Williams produced moments of magic in both contests to help England over the line. 8.5

Harry Smith: Samoa couldn’t deal with his kicking game and he produced two commanding performances with the ball in hand. 8

Ethan Havard: Started both Tests and produced typically steady showings through the middle. 6.5

Daryl Clark: A real livewire in the first Test as Samoa struggled to handle his pace around the ruck. Wasn’t quite as influential at Headingley. 7.5

Matty Lees: Caught the eye on Saturday in particular with his powerful running game taking the contest to Samoa. 7.5

John Bateman: A strong series for the back-rower. His place in the England set up was never in doubt but with such talent emerging, he managed to reinforce his standing within the international fold. 7.5

Kai Pearce-Paul: Missed the second Test with a slight injury, but turned in a positive performance at his old stomping ground. 7

Junior Nsemba: Had a couple of very bright moments on his international debut and certainly showcased his potential. 7

Victor Radley: A very strong showing at the Brick Community Stadium was followed by a more modest outing at Headingley. Grabbed a try in the first Test just after the break. 7

Mikey Lewis: Made his mark off the bench in Wigan by finishing off a Dom Young break. 6.5

Morgan Knowles: Played more minutes in the second Test and made more of an impact, but his spot in the fold isn’t secure at present, given the loose-forward competition. 6

Mike McMeeken: A powerful performance from the Wakefield Trinity recruit, another to underline his value on the international stage. 7

Luke Thompson: Missed the first Test through suspension but caused problems with his aggressive running in West Yorkshire. 7

Tom Burgess: Wasn’t involved at Headingley, but Samoa struggled with his physicality in the first Test. 7