England rugby league World Cup squad announced as Shaun Wane looks to NRL
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:24 am
The England head coach has named his 24-man squad for the World Cup
Uncapped Salford duo Andy Ackers and Marc Sneyd were among the headline inclusions in Shaun Wane’s England World Cup squad announced this morning. The Red Devils pair have made the cut in a 24-man group named just over a fortnight before England’s tournament opener against Samoa at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
Ackers, 28, has enjoyed an outstanding season for Salford, helping them to reach the Super League play-off semi-finals where they lost to eventual champions St Helens. The hooker’s form has been rewarded with a place in the squad along with team-mate Sneyd, whose outstanding kicking game was a key weapon in the Red Devils’ success this year.
The maiden call-up for 31-year-old Sneyd follows the withdrawal of Saints half-back Jonny Lomax due to a bicep injury. A third Salford player is also included in centre Kallum Watkins, who has spent much of the 2022 campaign playing in the second row but has recaptured some of his best form.
Watkins played for England in the 2017 World Cup final, when England lost 6-0 to Australia in Brisbane and he was memorably ankle-tapped by Josh Dugan as he attempted to race clear for a try. Lomax and St Helens team-mate Mark Percival will miss the tournament with bicep and knee injuries respectively, despite both playing in last weekend’s Super League Grand Final win over Leeds Rhinos.
However, there are five Saints players named in Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor and Morgan Knowles. Wigan Warriors have three stars included in Kai Pearce-Paul, Mike Cooper and John Bateman.
Catalans Dragons similarly have a trio of players named in Michael McIlorum, Mike McMeeken and Sam Tomkins, while Leeds Rhinos' only inclusion is Poland-born prop Mikolaj Oledzki.
As expected, uncapped Brisbane Broncos centre Herbie Farnworth and Sydney Roosters second-rower Victor Radley have been named along with Canberra Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead. The squad includes eight players who were involved in the 2017 World Cup, and Tom Burgess is one of four who will be playing in their third World Cup.
A number of key players from England’s previous World Cup campaign – Sam Burgess, James Graham, James Roby, Gareth Widdop, Jermaine McGillvary and Sean O’Loughlin – have retired from international duty. Survivors from 2017 include George Williams, Bateman, Ryan Hall, Tom Burgess, Whitehead, Watkins and Huddersfield prop Chris Hill, who has earned a recall following injury to Alex Walmsley.
Tomkins, as expected, is included and will captain the team, having been left out of the 2017 World Cup squad by Wane’s predecessor Wayne Bennett. Former Huddersfield Giants winger Dom Young has also made the cut after a fine breakthrough season in the NRL with Newcastle Knights, scoring 14 tries in 20 appearances.
But there is no place for the likes of Stefan Ratchford, Ben Currie, Ash Handley, Paul McShane, Kruise Leeming and Daryl Clark, while Harry Newman, Walmsley and Liam Farrell all miss out through injury. Wane’s squad face Fiji in their only warm-up game against Fiji in Salford next Friday.
England World Cup squad:
Sam Tomkins (captain), Andy Ackers, Joe Batchelor, John Bateman, Tom Burgess, Mike Cooper, Herbie Farnworth, Ryan Hall, Chris Hill, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Tommy Makinson, Michael McIlorum, Mike McMeeken, Mikolaj Oledzki ,Kai Pearce-Paul, Victor Radley, Marc Sneyd, Luke Thompson, Kallum Watkins, Jack Welsby, Elliott Whitehead, George Williams, Dom Young.
England World Cup fixtures
Saturday October 15: v Samoa (St James’ Park, Newcastle, 2:30pm)
Saturday October 22 v France (University of Bolton Stadium, 2:30pm)
Saturday October 29 v Greece (Bramall Lane, Sheffield, 2:30pm)
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... dium=email
Uncapped Salford duo Andy Ackers and Marc Sneyd were among the headline inclusions in Shaun Wane’s England World Cup squad announced this morning. The Red Devils pair have made the cut in a 24-man group named just over a fortnight before England’s tournament opener against Samoa at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
Ackers, 28, has enjoyed an outstanding season for Salford, helping them to reach the Super League play-off semi-finals where they lost to eventual champions St Helens. The hooker’s form has been rewarded with a place in the squad along with team-mate Sneyd, whose outstanding kicking game was a key weapon in the Red Devils’ success this year.
The maiden call-up for 31-year-old Sneyd follows the withdrawal of Saints half-back Jonny Lomax due to a bicep injury. A third Salford player is also included in centre Kallum Watkins, who has spent much of the 2022 campaign playing in the second row but has recaptured some of his best form.
Watkins played for England in the 2017 World Cup final, when England lost 6-0 to Australia in Brisbane and he was memorably ankle-tapped by Josh Dugan as he attempted to race clear for a try. Lomax and St Helens team-mate Mark Percival will miss the tournament with bicep and knee injuries respectively, despite both playing in last weekend’s Super League Grand Final win over Leeds Rhinos.
However, there are five Saints players named in Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor and Morgan Knowles. Wigan Warriors have three stars included in Kai Pearce-Paul, Mike Cooper and John Bateman.
Catalans Dragons similarly have a trio of players named in Michael McIlorum, Mike McMeeken and Sam Tomkins, while Leeds Rhinos' only inclusion is Poland-born prop Mikolaj Oledzki.
As expected, uncapped Brisbane Broncos centre Herbie Farnworth and Sydney Roosters second-rower Victor Radley have been named along with Canberra Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead. The squad includes eight players who were involved in the 2017 World Cup, and Tom Burgess is one of four who will be playing in their third World Cup.
A number of key players from England’s previous World Cup campaign – Sam Burgess, James Graham, James Roby, Gareth Widdop, Jermaine McGillvary and Sean O’Loughlin – have retired from international duty. Survivors from 2017 include George Williams, Bateman, Ryan Hall, Tom Burgess, Whitehead, Watkins and Huddersfield prop Chris Hill, who has earned a recall following injury to Alex Walmsley.
Tomkins, as expected, is included and will captain the team, having been left out of the 2017 World Cup squad by Wane’s predecessor Wayne Bennett. Former Huddersfield Giants winger Dom Young has also made the cut after a fine breakthrough season in the NRL with Newcastle Knights, scoring 14 tries in 20 appearances.
But there is no place for the likes of Stefan Ratchford, Ben Currie, Ash Handley, Paul McShane, Kruise Leeming and Daryl Clark, while Harry Newman, Walmsley and Liam Farrell all miss out through injury. Wane’s squad face Fiji in their only warm-up game against Fiji in Salford next Friday.
England World Cup squad:
Sam Tomkins (captain), Andy Ackers, Joe Batchelor, John Bateman, Tom Burgess, Mike Cooper, Herbie Farnworth, Ryan Hall, Chris Hill, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Tommy Makinson, Michael McIlorum, Mike McMeeken, Mikolaj Oledzki ,Kai Pearce-Paul, Victor Radley, Marc Sneyd, Luke Thompson, Kallum Watkins, Jack Welsby, Elliott Whitehead, George Williams, Dom Young.
England World Cup fixtures
Saturday October 15: v Samoa (St James’ Park, Newcastle, 2:30pm)
Saturday October 22 v France (University of Bolton Stadium, 2:30pm)
Saturday October 29 v Greece (Bramall Lane, Sheffield, 2:30pm)
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... dium=email
