Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity team news as 11 new faces named in Boxing Day Festive Challenge squads

Trinity, who were relegated from Betfred Super League in September, will unveil seven new faces, including two brought in from Australia: former Newtown Jets prop Caleb Uele and ex-Cronulla Sharks forward Toby Boothroyd.

Centre/winger Iain Thornley, signed from Wigan Warriors, is also poised for his first Trinity appearance. Other newcomers in a 21-man squad are winger/full-back Lachlan Walmsley (signed from Halifax), forward Mathieu Cozza (Featherstone Rovers), hooker Thomas Doyle (Keighley Cougars) and half-back Myles Lawford (Bradford Bulls). Young forwards Cain Staveley-Carr and Dom Sinfield are included despite not having a squad number.

Trinity will be without key players including forward Luke Bains, a new addition from Queensland Cup side Brisbane Tigers, who is recovering from an Achilles injury. Former Rhinos captain Luke Gale is suspended, his half-back partner Mason Lino isn’t available and ex-Huddersfield Giants and England winger Jermaine McGillvary won’t feature.

New signings in Leeds’ 22 are full-back Lachie Miller (from Newcastle Knights), half-back Matt Frawley (Canberra Raiders), hooker Andy Ackers (Salford Red Devils) and forward Mickael Goudemand (Catalans Dragons). Rookies Fergus and Ned McCormack, Ben Littlewood and Jack Smith have been drafted in from outside the Super League squad.

Props Mikolaj Oledzki and Tom Holroyd and second-rower James Bentley won’t be risked as they recover from injury or illness. Second-rower Rhyse Martin remains on leave following international duty last autumn and centre Harry Newman isn’t involved. New signings ex-Salford stand-off Brodie Croft and centre Paul Momirovski, from Sydney Roosters, are both spending Christmas in Australia. Leeds’ other recruit, front-rower Kieran Hudson from Castleford Tigers, is still recovering from a torn Achilles.

Leeds Rhinos from: Miller, Fusitu'a, Handley, Frawley, Ackers, C Smith, O'Connor, Lisone, McDonnell, Sangare, Goudemand, Olpherts, Gannon, J Sinfield, Roberts, Johnson, Edgell, Nicholson-Watton, J Smith, N McCormack, F McCormack, Littlewood.

Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Pratt, Thornley, Walmsley, Bowden, Hood, Antoni, Ashurst, Griffin, Uele, Cozza, Boothroyd, Doyle, Croft, Francio, Lawford, H Smith, Law, Delaney, Staveley-Carr, D Sinfield.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds). Kick-off: Tuesday, 11.30am.