England captain Sam Tomkins has been named in his team’s matchday squad for the opening game of the Rugby League World Cup against Samoa on Saturday after overcoming a knee injury which blighted the end of his 2022 season.
The Catalans Dragons full-back featured in only two of the final six rounds of the regular season in Betfred Super League, returning just in time to play a part in the French side’s elimination defeat to Leeds Rhinos in early September.
Tomkins then missed England’s warm-up victory over Fiji at Salford last weekend but has been named in Shaun Wane’s 19-player squad for Saturday’s Group A clash in Newcastle.
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Dom Young makes his competitive debut after starring in the 50-0 win last week ahead of the more experienced Ryan Hall, while Michael McIlorum has been given the nod over Salford Red Devils’ Andy Ackers to start at hooker.
Canterbury Bulldogs prop Luke Thompson is one of six NRL stars in the squad, with Victor Radley among those set to make their World Cup debuts, but there is no place for Leeds Rhinos forward Mikolaj Oledzki.
Wane’s squad selection has been compromised somewhat by injuries to the likes of St Helens pair Jonny Lomax and Alex Walmsley, as well as the early season-ending knee issue suffered by Wests Tigers-bound hooker Josh Hodgson while playing for Canberra Raiders.
There has also been a significant turnover since the 2017 event caused by the retirements of experienced heads such as James Graham, Sean O’Loughlin and Sam Burgess, while James Roby stepped back from the international scene last year to concentrate his efforts on St Helens.
Saturday’s opener kicks off at 2:30pm BST at St James’ Park, with live coverage on BBC1 and the BBC iPlayer.
England’s matchday 19:
Sam Tomkins (Captain), Tommy Makinson, Kallum Watkins, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Welsby, George Williams, Tom Burgess, Michael McIlorum, Luke Thompson, Elliott Whitehead, Victor Radley, Dom Young, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Mike Cooper, Chris Hill, Mike McMeeken, Marc Sneyd, Kai Pearce-Paul
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
