Three Leeds Rhinos players named in England squad for France Test

Three Rhinos players have been named in the England squad for next month’s Wheelchair rugby league Test against France in Leeds.

Super League young player of the year Josh Butler has been drafted in to join fellow Rhinos Tom Haliwell and Nathan Collins who played in England’s World Cup final win over France 11 months ago. But there was disappointment for their teammate Ewan Clibbens who was not selected.

England will meet France in a one-off Test at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on Sunday, November 5, a week after a training camp at the FA’s National Football Centre, St George’s Park, in Staffordshire.

The 11-player squad will be narrowed to nine in the week leading up to the France match, which will be shown live on BBC2. International Wheelchair Rugby League rules now require teams to name an eight-player squad for each fixture, in addition to a travelling reserve.

England coach Tom Coyd said: “In addition to congratulating the 12 players selected for the squad to prepare to face France, I want to stress my thanks to the other four members of our Performance Squad for 2023 for their efforts and commitment this year.

“Ewan Clibbens, Freya Levy, Tristan Norfolk and Jason Owen have all had excellent seasons for their clubs and contributed hugely to our previous squad sessions this year, and they very much remain in our thoughts for the future.”

The England squad is: Seb Bechara (Catalans Dragons), Wayne Boardman (Halifax Panthers), Jack Brown (North Queensland), Josh Butler, Nathan Collins (both Leeds Rhinos), Joe Coyd (London Roosters), Tom Halliwell (Leeds), Rob Hawkins (Halifax), Jack Heggie (Wigan Warriors), Lewis King (London), Tom Martin (Halifax), Adam Rigby (Wigan).