England head coach Brian McDermott names 23-man Rugby League World Cup squad, omitting Jake Connor and adding Mikey Lewis

McDermott leaves out 2025 Man of Steel Jake Connor

England head coach Brian McDermott named his 23-player squad for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup on 5 October, with Hull KR's Mikey Lewis selected ahead of Leeds Rhinos half-back Jake Connor. Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel who recorded 43 assists this season, missed out by a "small margin," McDermott said, after the 31-year-old was also omitted from last autumn's home Ashes series against Australia. "What I have got is a squad full of players who I believe will best play to the game style, the attack plan or game model we identified many weeks ago," McDermott said, citing execution of his "point of difference" game plan as the decisive factor.

Mikey Lewis included as half-back option

Lewis joins captain George Williams and Wigan's Harry Smith as McDermott's three half-backs. Lewis endured a difficult second half of the Super League season with Hull KR, including disciplinary issues that led to a one-match ban for a tackle and a further three-game suspension for an apparent headbutt, but McDermott pointed to Lewis's performances in "big games" with Hull KR in the Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge. Sydney Roosters utility back Hugo Savala, who can also play half-back, is also in the squad as cover. Williams, heading to NRL club the Dolphins after the World Cup, will again captain England.

Wigan dominate with seven players; five uncapped included

Wigan Warriors lead club representation with seven players: Brad O'Neill (the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel), Dream Team winger Zach Eckersley, Harry Smith and four forwards — Ethan Havard, Junior Nsemba, Luke Thompson and Sam Walters. Warrington Wolves supply three, with Matty Ashton and Ben Currie joining Grand Final opponent Williams. NRL clubs provide 10 players, including Savala and his Sydney Roosters premiership-winning teammate Victor Radley, as well as Bulldogs prop Max King, Brisbane Broncos front-row Ben Talty, Newcastle Knights winger Dom Young and Dally M Center of the Year Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins). Eckersley, Savala, King, Talty and Walters are the five uncapped players in the squad.

League leaders Leeds and Grand Final winners Wakefield unrepresented

Connor's omission means Leeds, long-standing Super League pacesetters, have no players in the squad. Wakefield Trinity, who beat Warrington in the Grand Final at the weekend, are also unrepresented after Mike McMeeken, Tom Johnstone and Caleb Hamlin-Uele withdrew through injury, while half-back Jake Trueman was overlooked. McDermott acknowledged the squad had been cut from an initial 38-man group, saying the decisions "were incredibly difficult."

Group fixtures set for Australia

England begin their World Cup campaign against Tonga in Perth on 17 October, then face France in Perth on 24 October and Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on 30 October. The squad will meet up in Perth later this week ahead of the opening fixture.