SportsTrending
England head coach Brian McDermott has named his team for the Rugby League World Cup opener against Tonga, leaving Mikey Lewis out of the match-day squad and selecting AJ Brimson at full-back.
England head coach Brian McDermott has named the 19-player match-day squad for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup opener against Tonga in Perth. The fixture kicks off at 10:05 BST. Captain George Williams will partner Harry Smith in the halves, while Mikey Lewis has been left out of the playing group entirely.
Mikey Lewis, who plays for Hull KR, was included in the wider squad but is one of three players listed as non-playing reserves, alongside Ben Currie and Ben Talty. According to BBC Sport, Lewis "has not even made the bench for Saturday's fixture." Love Rugby League notes that Lewis "misses out completely" from the 19 players named to take to the field.
In another significant selection, AJ Brimson has been chosen at full-back ahead of Jack Welsby. Welsby, who has started in the role in recent years, is named on the interchange bench. Brimson, a Brisbane-born player who qualifies for England through heritage, made his debut in last year's Ashes series.
Zach Eckersley has been selected on the wing, earning his international debut. He replaces Matty Ashton in the starting thirteen, with Ashton moving to the bench. Victor Radley returns to the England side for the first time since the 2024 series victory over Samoa.
The starting thirteen for the match against Tonga is as follows:
Interchange: Jez Litten, Luke Thompson, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters, Jack Welsby, Matty Ashton.
Non-playing reserves: Ben Currie, Mikey Lewis, Ben Talty.
England is placed in Group B-C, a combined pool of six teams. The top two teams from this group will advance to the semi-finals. Following the opener against Tonga, England will face France in Perth on 24 October and Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on 30 October.
The selection of AJ Brimson over Jack Welsby and the exclusion of Mikey Lewis from the match-day squad represent major tactical decisions by head coach Brian McDermott in the opening game of the tournament. These choices signal a shift in England's backline structure as they aim to secure a top-two finish in their group.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
SportsTrending
Rohit Paudel scored 101 to lead Nepal to a 24-run victory over Canada in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, moving Nepal into sixth place in the standings.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts plans to discuss Shohei Ohtani's health and lineup status for Game 3 after a 2-0 NLCS deficit. Ohtani is 3-for-20 in the postseason with knee and biceps issues.
