Lewis Left Out of England World Cup Opener — SkimNews
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- Harry Smith was selected alongside captain George Williams in the half-back roles for England's Rugby League World Cup opener against Tonga on Saturday in Perth.
- Mikey Lewis was left out of the matchday squad entirely — not even on the bench — despite pipping 2025 Super League Man of Steel Connor to a place in the 24-man squad; Lewis, Ben Currie, and Ben Talty are non-playing reserves.
- AJ Brimson was chosen at full-back over Jack Welsby in what McDermott called a major selection call, with Brimson one of four 'heritage' (Australia-born) players in the squad alongside Max King, Hugo Savala, and Victor Radley.
- Brian McDermott, who succeeded Shaun Wane in April, indicated he was keen to use heritage players to ensure the strongest possible squad, with King's father David having played in Huddersfield and Savala part of Sydney Roosters' NRL Grand Final-winning squad.
- England's Group B-C schedule continues with France on 24 October in Perth and Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on 30 October.
- England women coach Stu Barrow named his squad for Saturday's opener against Wales in Perth, with Jasmin Strange and Connie Boyd set to make international debuts and uncapped Hope Millard among the interchanges.
Why it matters: Lewis beat a reigning Man of Steel to a World Cup squad spot but couldn't even make the bench, signaling how high McDermott's bar is for selection in Australia's premier rugby league tournament; the heritage-player pivot also shows England leaning on Australia-born talent to compete against the sport's traditional powerhouses.
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