England head coach Brian McDermott has revealed his 23-man squad for this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup.
The tournament begins later this month, with England facing Tonga in their opening group match in a fortnight’s time – and McDermott’s official squad is dominated by Wigan Warriors.
Almost a third of the squad come from the Warriors, with Super League Man of Steel Brad O’Neill named in the group alongside Harry Smith and Zach Eckersley. There are four more Wigan forwards in the squad: Ethan Havard, Junior Nsemba, Luke Thompson and Sam Walters.
Heritage players aplenty in England squad
McDermott had hinted he would lean on heritage players – and he has made good on that insinuation with a number of Australian-born players in the final 23.
They include Sydney Roosters pairing Hugo Savala and Victor Radley, with the latter returning to the fold having missed last year’s Ashes. Max King and Ben Talty also get their first national team call-ups, too.
As revealed by Love Rugby League on Sunday there is no place for Leeds Rhinos half-back Jake Connor or Wakefield Trinity forward Caleb Hamlin-Uele; with Mikey Lewis opted to complete the half-back roster alongside Smith and captain George Williams. New Super League champions Trinity do not have a single inclusion.
“We have selected the squad after a thorough and deliberate process, underpinned by a unique decentralised preparation model that has allowed us to work closely with the players well before they come together in camp.
“Throughout that process, we have challenged players to develop a deeper understanding of themselves – their strengths, their point of difference, the areas they need to improve and the standards required to perform at international level.
“Importantly, we have also developed a much deeper understanding of the expectations around each player’s specific role within the England Game Model.
“The aim has been that when the players arrive in camp, they are not starting from day one trying to understand what is expected of them. They already understand their role,the standards attached to it and how their individual strengths can contribute to the way England wants to play.
“We have been tremendously impressed by the sacrifices made by the wider squad, their willingness to be open-minded about a new way of preparing for international Rugby League, and the level of alignment they have shown towards our collective vision.
“The commitment of the wider squad to this process has given us the opportunity to understand not only who the player is, but who the person is.”
England 2026 World Cup Squad
Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), ZachEckersley (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Max King (Bulldogs), Morgan Knowles (Dolphins), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Brad O’Neill (Wigan Warriors), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights).