What's happened
England has named its half-back combination for the Rugby League World Cup opener against Tonga after a 30-12 loss in the warm-up, with Harry Smith and George Williams at half-back and Mikey Lewis among reserves. The squad also features AJ Brimson at full-back amid a heritage-spot strategy ahead of games against France and Papua New Guinea.
What's behind the headline?
The story in brief
- England has chosen its half-back pairing for the opener, prioritising Williams and Smith while leaving Mikey Lewis on the bench. The decision signals a broader strategy to utilise heritage players to strengthen the squad.
- Brimson starts at full-back, with Welsby among the interchanges, highlighting a flexible approach to squad rotation.
- The emphasis on heritage and the inclusion of debutants King and Savala point to a long-term plan to blend local talent with foreign-born players who qualify for England through family ties.
What to watch
- How the half-back combination performs under pressure in Perth against Tonga.
- Whether the heritage-spot approach yields consistency across group stage games against France and PNG.
How we got here
The team selection follows England’s preparation for a Group B-C opener in Perth. Coach Brian McDermott is balancing experience and heritage eligibility to field the strongest squad, while England’s schedule includes matches against France and Papua New Guinea in October.
Our analysis
BBC Sport (Emma Smith) reports on England’s half-back selections and the inclusion of heritage players, with the squad list and match schedule; The Guardian provides contextual notes on Australia’s Tom Wright and the broader group, though with limited detail; BBC Business collates match-day selections and player roles for the opening fixtures.
Go deeper
- Will England’s half-back pairing hold against stronger groups?
- How will heritage players impact team cohesion in the early games?
More on these topics
-
Mikey Lewis - English rugby league footballer (born 2001)
Mikey Lewis is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a scrum-half and stand-off for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. He has spent time on loan from Hull KR at the Newcastle Thunder and York City Knights in Betfred League 1.
-
Ben Currie - Rugby player
Ben Currie is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row or centre for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. He has played for the England Knights, Ireland England at international level. Currie has spent time on loan f
-
Perth - City in Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is Australia's fourth-most populous city, with a population of 2.06 million living in Greater Perth in 2018.
-
Tonga - Country in Oceania
Tonga, officially named the Kingdom of Tonga, is a Polynesian sovereign state and archipelago comprising 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited.
-
France - Country in Europe
France, officially the French Republic, is a country consisting of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.
-
Rugby League World Cup - League
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league tournament contested by the top men's national teams. The tournament is administered by the International Rugby League and was first held in France in 1954, which was the first World Cup held for