Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity stars included as England boss Brian McDermott names 1st World Cup squad

The former Rhinos boss, who took the national role in April, today (Tuesday) revealed a 38-strong group of candidates for this autumn’s tournament in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. England begin their campaign against Tonga in Perth four months tomorrow.

Rhinos half-back Jake Connor, the reigning Man of Steel, is included in the pool of potential squad members after being controversially omitted from previous coach Shaun Wane’s 2025 Ashes plans. Connor played four times for England in 2018 and earned three Great Britain caps the following year.

He is joined by club mates centre Ash Handley, prop Mikolaj Oledzki and back-rower Kallum Watkins. Oledzki and 35-year-old Watkins both retain their place from last year, but Leeds centre Harry Newman drops out.

Trinity stand-off Jake Trueman and forward Caleb Hamlin-Uele are among 10 uncapped players in McDermott’s first pick. Wakefield’s other representatives are prop Mike McMeeken and winger Tom Johnstone who both played in all three Ashes Tests last year.

Other uncapped players from Betfred Super League clubs are Wigan’s Sam Walters - a former Rhinos forward - and Zach Eckersley; Hull KR second-row Dean Hadley, who had a previous spell with Wakefield and St Helens centre Harry Robertson. Potential debutants from the southern hemisphere NRL are Canterbury Bulldogs’ Huddersfield-born New South Wales State of Origin prop Max King, Canberra Raiders hooker Jayden Brailey, Sydney Roosters centre Billy Smith and Brisbane Broncos prop Ben Talty.

McDermott said: “I’ve enjoyed the process of looking throughout Super League and the NRL for players who could potentially play for England in the 2026 World Cup. It is clear there is a raft of talent available at our disposal and it’s encouraging to see the sort of player who could be lining up for us in a few months’ time.

“As well as plenty of seasoned Test players who we all know about, there are some new faces on the international scene, including Jake Trueman, Dean Hadley and Zach Eckersley. They have all earned places on the programme for their consistent excellence in Super League.

“Caleb Hamlin-Uele - who was born in Auckland, but qualifies for England through heritage - is another who ticks that box. From the NRL, there’s further players who I have seen first-hand who are performing well and who have expressed a desire to represent England via the heritage rule: Max King, Jayden Brailey, Billy Smith and Ben Talty.”

McDermott, who is an assistant-coach at NRL outfit Gold Coast Titans, stressed: “Obviously, this is just the first group of players we’ve selected; there is still plenty of opportunity for others to play their way into contention before the World Cup squad is announced.”

England 38-man performance programme group is: Junior Nsemba, Ethan Havard, Thompson, Sam Walters, Brad O’Neill, Jake Wardle, Harry Smith, Zach Eckersley (all Wigan Warriors), Kallum Watkins, Mikolaj Oledzki, Ash Handley, Jake Connor (all Leeds Rhinos), Ben Currie, Danny Walker, George Williams, Matty Ashton (all Warrington Wolves), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Dean Hadley, Jez Litten, Mikey Lewis (all Hull KR), Morgan Smithies, Jayden Brailey (both Canberra Raiders), Victor Radley, Billy Smith (both Sydney Roosters), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Jack Welsby, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Harry Robertson (all St Helens), Morgan Knowles, Herbie Farnworth (both Dolphins), Mike McMeeken, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Jake Trueman, Tom Johnstone (all Wakefield), Max King (Canterbury Bulldogs), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights).