The 5 players unlucky to miss out as Shaun Wane names England Rugby League squad

England Rugby League head coach Shaun Wane has named his squad in preparation for facing Samoa and there are several names unlucky to miss out.

It will mark the first meeting between England and Samoa since the 2022 Rugby League World Cup semi-final, a game that England lost due to a Stephen Crichton drop goal which denied them a final at a home World Cup.

That might have been almost two years ago but it is something that still drives the passion of England Rugby League head coach Shaun Wane, with the former Wigan boss openly admitting that it’s something he will not get over.

Whilst the prize at stake is far lower, the two-test series against Samoa will hand some change at vengeance and in preparation for that, Wane will gather his squad for an off-field session on Monday 16th September.

That comes six weeks prior to game one on October 27th at Wigan’s Brick Community Stadium before November 2nd’s clash at Headingley.

A 31-man squad has been named but there are still plenty of players who can count themselves unlucky to have missed out. We’ve assessed five of the players whose omission rugby league fans might be questioning.

Five players unlucky to miss out on the 31-man England Rugby League squad

James Batchelor – Hull KR (Second-row)

Many will have thought that this would be the first call-up for James Batchelor, who has had a brilliant second season with Hull KR, but the 26-year-old has missed out.

He’s not the only second-rower unlucky to miss out with plenty of depth at the position but the former Wakefield man has had an excellent campaign, becoming one of Willie Peters’ most trusted players. Three other Hull KR players were selected but Batchelor is among those to miss out.

Josh Charnley – Leigh Leopards (Winger)

Age could be a factor in Josh Charnley missing out with Shaun Wane having stated that he is looking ahead to the future and the Ashes tour against Australia and the 2026 World Cup. However, at 33, Josh Charnley remains among the elite in Super League and would undoubtedly be the competition’s top scorer if not for his stint in rugby union.

He will make his 300th Super League appearance against Castleford Tigers and is just two tries short of Danny McGuire for second place in the all-time Super League try-scoring rankings. It’s hard to argue the fact that he is among the top three English wingers in the game right now.

Toby King – Warrington Wolves (Centre)

Similar to Batchelor in the sense that second-row has some immense talent, King misses out at centre due to two of the best in rugby league on either side of the equator. England’s starting centres will likely be Jake Wardle and Herbie Farnworth, whilst Harry Newman is also named in the squad.

With just three centres named, it means no place for Toby King who can feel hard done by given his immense talent. He’s been somewhat hampered by injury this season but has still made 18 appearances and his 2023 campaign saw him be incredibly unlucky to miss out on the Super League dream team. He can count himself unlucky again with this omission.

Matty Nicholson – Warrington Wolves (Second-row)

Just like James Batchelor, Matty Nicholson is a victim of England’s immense talent at second-row. Specifically, Nicholson seems to have been overlooked for the uncapped Junior Nsemba with the 20-year-old Wigan Warriors man earning his first call-up.

It is hard to argue against the inclusion of Nsemba and others in the position such as Kai Pearce-Paul but it’s a surprise not to see Nicholson over the likes of more senior players like John Bateman, particularly with Wane’s stated goal of developing for the future.

Marc Sneyd – Salford Red Devils (Half-back)

Just like Charnley, it’s clear why Marc Sneyd isn’t in the squad but that doesn’t mean that he is not unlucky to be counted out. There are few players who can kick a rugby league ball better than Marc Sneyd, both out of hand and off the tee, and that is perhaps something that the England squad lacks with no truly established goal kicker.

Shaun Wane already has a difficult task of selecting from George Williams, Harry Smith and Mikey Lewis for his half-back pairing but it’s hard to argue that Sneyd hasn’t been as good as, if not better, than any of those three in 2024. He’s been Salford’s talisman, racking up a whopping 22 assists and boasting the most attacking kicks in Super League.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Your #EnglandRL performance squad for Autumn’s two-game series against Samoa! pic.twitter.com/2UmJSWDDAc

— England Rugby League (@England_RL) September 6, 2024