Liam Marshall, the leading try-scorer in Super League this season, and Wigan team-mate Junior Nsemba have been named in a provisional England squad for the autumn internationals against Samoa.
Marshall has touched down 22 times for Warriors this season and will now be hoping to figure for England for the first time in the fixtures at Wigan on October 27 and in Leeds on November 2.
Nsemba – the nephew of former Liverpool and Cameroon footballer Rigobert Song – is the youngest member of the squad at 20.
Seven Wigan players are in the party all told, with the uncapped Marshall and Nsemba joining Tyler Dupree, Ethan Havard, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson and Jake Wardle.
St Helens winger Tommy Makinson is unavailable for personal reasons.
Dom Young could make his first England appearance in over two years after being named as one of six Australian-based players in the squad, alongside Sydney Roosters team-mate Victor Radley as well as Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle), Tom Burgess (South Sydney) and Morgan Smithies (Canberra).
England’s NRL players missed June’s victory over France due to club commitments.
Head coach Shaun Wane said: “There have been several players who have been performing consistently in both the Betfred Super League and the NRL and it has given me some real competition for places.
“With a few weeks still left in both domestic campaigns, I am expecting these players to continue to stand up at the business end of the season and earn their place in the final squad I assemble to face Samoa.”
England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), John Bateman (Warrington Wolves), Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Daryl Clark (St Helens), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Tyler Dupree (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), James Harrison (Warrington Wolves), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Chris Hill (Huddersfield Giants), Tom Johnstone (Catalans Dragons), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons), Elliot Minchella (Hull KR), Robbie Mulhern (Leigh Leopards), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves), Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Sydney Roosters)
AD | Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
