Leeds Rhinos: Stevie ward, Liam Sutcliffe and Jack Walker are cut from representative squads

Ward returned for Leeds’ final two games of the season after being sidelined since picking up a knee injury against St Helens in February.

Winger Ash Handley, Rhinos player of the year, retains his place, along with clubmates Harry Newman, Mikolaj Oledzski, and Cameron Smith who are in contention for England’s World Cup Nines squad, which flies to Sydney on October 12 and the second-string Knights’ one-off Test against Jamaica at Emerald Headingley eight days later.

Rhinos’ Jack Walker and Liam Sutcliffe had been in the Knights performance squad, but miss out on the training group which meets for the first time in Manchester today.

Wakefield Trinity’s Reece Lyne is included.

Castleford Tigers quartet Mike McMeeken, Greg Minikin, Jake Trueman and Liam Watts have been given time off after the play-off defeat at Salford Red Devils last Thursday and will join preparations in a week’s time.

The training group, which does not include Australian-based players or those still involved in the Betfred Super League play-offs, is: McMeeken, Minikin, Trueman, Watts (Castleford Tigers), Tomkins (Catalans Dr), English, Leeming, McGillvary, McIntosh, Wilson (Huddersfield Giants), Bowden, Connor, Matongo (Hull FC), Atkin (Hull KR), Handley, Newman, Oledzki, Smith (Leeds Rhinos), Butler (London Broncos), Lyne (Wakefield Trinity), Austin, Clark, Hill, Hughes, King, Lineham, Philbin, Walker (Warrington Wolves).