Mikey Lewis: Two Tries as England Chases Semi-Finals — SkimNews
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- Brian McDermott selected Mikey Lewis as one of England's three half-back options for the Rugby League World Cup, alongside Harry Smith and captain George Williams — a call supporters found divisive after Lewis's inconsistent, discipline-troubled Super League season.
- Jake Connor, the 2025 Man of Steel, was left out of the squad for England's opening defeat to Tonga, which added fuel to the feeling that Lewis was more trouble than he was worth.
- Mikey Lewis came on as an interchange for the final 20 minutes of England's 82-0 win over France and scored two tries, boosting the points difference; against Papua New Guinea on Friday he will again come off the bench aiming to provide the flourish his side needs.
- England must beat Papua New Guinea on Friday, hope Tonga defeat Samoa on Sunday and make up a 68-point deficit on the Samoans to reach the semi-finals, with piling up tries now the priority after the 30-12 loss to Tonga.
- Mikey Lewis scored 17 tries and provided 14 assists in 20 Super League matches, but also collected four yellow cards — the most in the division — after opening the season with a deliberate trip on an opponent in Hull KR's shock loss to newly-promoted York Knights, for which he avoided suspension.
- Warrington Wolves — Lewis was sin-binned for a late tackle in a defeat against Warrington Wolves and then headbutted a Warrington player in an incident initially missed by officials; he was handed a four-game ban in July, yet McDermott kept him, and Lewis says he is contrite and seeking external help with his on-field temperament.
- Tonga — Lewis's England debut in October 2023 against Tonga at St Helens brought man of the match honours, a try and an assist in a 22-18 win, and he says the country still means everything: "I am proud to play for my country".
Why it matters: England's qualification rests on beating Papua New Guinea on Friday, Tonga beating Samoa on Sunday, and erasing a 68-point deficit on the Samoans. Lewis's 17 tries and 14 assists in 20 Super League games make his bench cameos materially relevant to that arithmetic, while his four yellow cards and four-game ban keep his selection contested.
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