5 Leeds Rhinos players named in England squad: 3 in line for Test debut

Teenager Morgan Gannon and fellow forward Tom Holroyd, 22, have both been included for the first time.

Prop Mikolaj Oledzki retains his place from last year’s World Cup, centre Harry Newman could make his debut after missing the global tournament through injury and winger Ash Handley is recalled.

Another Leeds player, prop Justin Sangare, is in France’s squad, alongside Wakefield Trinity centre Samisoni Langi and Featherstone Rovers forward Mathieu Cozza.

Surprisingly, there is no place for Leeds’ in-form loose-forward Cameron Smith, despite Morgan Knowles - who is included - being suspended for the game at Warrington on Saturday, April 29.

Coach Shaun Wane will reduce the squad, which includes 20 uncapped players, by half four days before the game.

Gannon has not played since suffering concussion against Friday’s Betfred Super League visitors Hull two months ago. He is due to make his comeback in this week’s reserves’ curtain-raiser.

Handley returned from an ankle injury in last Sunday’s win over Huddersfield Giants, which was Oledzki’s second appearance of the season following shoulder injury.

Newman is five games into his comeback from last year’s hamstring issues and Holroyd has featured in all Rhinos’ eight games so far.

His inclusion caps a remarkable return following a disastrous 2022 campaign, when he did not make a senior appearance for Leeds.

A pre-season leg injury kept him out of action from January until May and he was then suspended for 10 games after being sent-off for punching in only his second comeback match, on dual-registration with Bradford Bulls.

The week before his ban expired he tore an elbow ligament in training. That needed surgery to repair and he was ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Wane said: “I’ve selected a very young extended squad this time around and that is very much with the 2025 World Cup in France in mind.

“There are still several experienced players within the squad who featured in last year’s World Cup and others who could come back in.

“I am hoping the more experienced cohort help those younger players adapt and thrive in an international camp which will be very demanding.

“As always, the squad will be fluid and players will be added if they are performing well and vice versa should performances dip.

“I think the squad really shows the depth of talent across Betfred Super League. The mid-season international is the first step on the road to the next Rugby League World Cup.”

The England squad is: Jordan Abdull (Hull KR), Andy Ackers (Salford Red Devils), Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), Daryl Clark (Warrington), Ben Currie (Warrington), Tom Davies (Catalans Dragons), Tyler Dupree (Salford), Lewis Dodd (St Helens), Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos), Ash Handley (Leeds), James Harrison (Warrington), Ethan Havard (Wigan), Chris Hill (Huddersfield Giants), Tom Holroyd (Leeds), Tom Johnstone (Catalans), Toby King (Wigan), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Jonny Lomax (St Helens)

Tommy Makinson (St Helens), Liam Marshall (Wigan), Mike McMeeken (Catalans), Harry Newman (Leeds), Matty Nicholson (Warrington), Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wigan), Mark Percival (St Helens), Will Pryce (Huddersfield), Harry Smith (Wigan), Morgan Smithies (Wigan), Josh Thewlis (Warrington), Danny Walker (Warrington), Alex Walmsley (St Helens), Jake Wardle (Wigan), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington), Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield).

France’s squad is: Lambert Belmas (Toulouse Olympique), Julian Bousquet (Catalans Dragons), Louis Carre' (SO Avignon), Tiaki Chan (Catalans), Mathieu Cozza (Featherstone Rovers), Alrix Da Costa (Catalans), Jordan Dezaria (Catalans), Romain Franco (Saint- Estève) Benjamin Garcia (Catalans), Mickael Goudemand (Catalans), Louis Jouffret (Halifax Panthers), Benjamin Jullien (Pia), Mathieu Jussaume (Toulouse), Matthieu Laguerre (Catalans), Samisoni Langi (Wakefield Trinity), Pierre-Jean Lima (Toulouse), Paul Marcon (Toulouse), Anthony Marion (Toulouse), Arthur Mourgue (Catalans), Romain Navarrete (Catalans), Eloi Pelissier (Toulouse), Hugo Pezet (Toulouse), Arthur Romano (Catalans), César Rouge (Catalans), Justin Sangare (Leeds Rhinos), Bastien Scimone (Catalans), Paul Seguier (Catalans), Maxime Stefani (Toulouse), Ugo Tison (Catalans), Tanguy Zenon (Catalans).