England Name World Cup Squad: Lewis In, Connor Out — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Brian McDermott named England's 23-man Rugby League World Cup squad, selecting Hull KR's Mikey Lewis over Leeds' Jake Connor - the 2025 Super League Man of Steel - by a "small margin," citing game-plan fit over individual accolades.
- Captain George Williams (Warrington), Harry Smith (Wigan), and Lewis are the three half-backs; Williams is set to join NRL side Dolphins after the tournament.
- Uncapped Australia-born duo Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters) and Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos) earned first call-ups, with Max King, Victor Radley, and AJ Brimson completing the five-strong Australia-born contingent.
- Super League champions Wakefield Trinity have no players in the squad after Tom Johnstone, Mike McMeeken, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, and Jake Trueman were ruled out with injuries requiring year-end surgery.
- Wigan contribute seven players including Man of Steel Brad O'Neill, while Warrington have three (Williams, Matty Ashton, Ben Currie), underlining McDermott's NRL-and-Wigan-heavy selection.
- England open against Tonga in Perth on 17 October, then face France on 24 October and Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on 30 October.
- Australia also named their squad Monday: Reece Walsh competes with James Tedesco for the full-back role, while star half-back Nathan Cleary is out with a broken ankle.
Why it matters: McDermott's 23-man squad contains five Australia-born players and seven Wigan Warriors, signaling a tactical pivot toward NRL-honed talent for a tournament held largely in Australia - even at the cost of leaving out the reigning Super League Man of Steel, a call that will define England's competitiveness against Tonga, France, and Papua New Guinea.
Ask SkimNews
