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England international Mikey Lewis has claimed that 2025 Super League Man of Steel Jake Connor should \u2018100%\u2019 featured in last year\u2019s Ashes series.<\/p>\n
Connor\u2019s snub from the squad by then England coach Shaun Wane, as well as his derision of the Man of Steel competition<\/a>, was a major point of contention heading into the Ashes and it was put further under the microscope after England were beaten 3-0.<\/p>\n A major flaw of the Ashes series was England\u2019s spine<\/a> with three changes made from Test one to two, and a further change then made ahead of the third and final Test at Headingley.<\/p>\n Wane has since stepped down from the role of England head coach and one of his Ashes squad players, Mikey Lewis, has argued that Wane was wrong not to select Connor.<\/p>\n \u201c100%, if you\u2019re going off form of that year and obviously you\u2019ve got to go off form,\u201d Lewis responded when asked on Sky Sports\u2019\u00a0The Bench Podcast<\/a>\u00a0if Connor should have been selected.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m 100% saying yeah because of the year he had and I feel like you\u2019ve got to pick players on form, especially going into an Ashes series that is so important.\u201d<\/p>\n Ashes \u2018could be a different scenario\u2019 if Jake Connor plays \u2013 Mikey Lewis<\/p>\n Lewis started the first Test alongside George Williams, was omitted from the second Test, and then had to be moved to full-back early on in the third Test as AJ Brimson suffered an injury, however, captain Williams featured in all three games.<\/p>\n For many on the outside, Williams\u2019 lack of Super League form was questioned and whilst Lewis made no mention of any players, he explained that some players were lacking form heading into the Ashes.<\/p>\n He explained: \u201cSome players weren\u2019t in form and I\u2019m probably glad that I wasn\u2019t the coach and getting that backlash. I feel as an international coach, you\u2019ve got to go off form.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked the impossible question of whether there would have been a different outcome if Jake Connor had played, Lewis explained: \u201cMaybe yeah, because of his form and especially the spine that is so big in the game.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving that direction of the team and having the leader telling the middles what to do and where he wants us, plus with his kicking game to put them into positions where they don\u2019t want to come out of. It could be a different scenario.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like you could truly say it would be a different situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Mikey Lewis aims jibe at Hull FC over World Club Challenge<\/p>\n Lewis had rightfully earned his spot in the England side after helping lead Hull KR to a historic treble in 2025 and that Super League Grand Final win helped to book the Robins a spot in the World Club Challenge against Brisbane Broncos, part of a whirlwind start to the year for Rovers who face the NRL champs then head out to Vegas to face Leeds Rhinos.<\/p>\n Talking about the World Club Challenge, Lewis said: \u201cIt\u2019s massive, Brisbane are coming over to play in the World Club Challenge which is a game that you wouldn\u2019t think this club would play until recent years.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019re building something and then winning last year and getting it confirmed that we\u2019re playing Brisbane means it\u2019s going to be a fantastic occasion, other than playing at the KC (MKM Stadium).\u201d<\/p>\n He doubled down on his dig at Hull FC, adding:\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a football ground really,\u201d before noting how important the game, which sold out in less than 10 days<\/a>, is for the city.<\/p>\n \u201cHull is such a big rugby town and having something like that I feel like will be electric. Super League against the NRL and hopefully keeping the trophy in England will be a massive achievement for us, then we go to Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n
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