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Mikey Lewis has been named in England’s 19-man matchday squad for their opening Ashes Test against Australia on Saturday.
The Hull KR scrum-half is likely to start alongside captain George Williams in the half-back roles, with Wigan’s Harry Smith left out of the party.
Lewis was man of the match as Hull KR beat Wigan in the Grand Final earlier this month to complete a domestic treble, after also winning the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield.
Club-mate Jez Litten has also made the matchday squad – putting him in line to make his first England appearance since a mid-season victory over France in 2023.
But their Hull KR team-mate Joe Burgess, who scored two tries in the Grand Final and returned to the England set-up after a 10-year absence when he was called up for the Ashes, has missed out.
England head coach Shaun Wane has opted to name a matchday squad rather than confirm a starting line-up. Australia named their starting 13 on Tuesday.
After Saturday’s Test at Wembley, England face Australia at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on 1 November and at AMT Headingley on 8 November. All three matches are 14:30 kick-offs and will be live on BBC One.
England matchday squad: John Bateman, AJ Brimson, Daryl Clark, Herbie Farnworth, Ethan Havard, Tom Johnstone, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, Mike McMeeken, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kai Pearce-Paul, Owen Trout, Alex Walmsley, Jake Wardle, Jack Welsby, George Williams, Dom Young.
Rugby League Ashes
25 October, 1 November, 8 November
Wembley, Hill Dickinson Stadium, AMT Headingley
Watch all three Tests live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app
AJ Brimson has made the squad, having switched his international allegiance from Australia earlier this year, qualifying for England because his mother is from London.
Leigh forward Owen Trout is also in contention for an international debut, while St Helens forward Alex Walmsley could make his first England appearance since 2021.
Wane said: “We have a fantastic squad and whittling it down for the first Ashes Test match in 22 years wasn’t easy, but I am confident the players selected can challenge the Kangaroos this weekend.
“We’ve had two fantastic weeks in camp preparing and we are now in touching distance of what will be a historic fixture under the Wembley arch.”
All involved will be aiming to win the Fulton-Reilly Award, which will be given to the player of the series.
The new award has been created in honour of two rugby league greats who have featured in past Ashes encounters – Bob Fulton and Mal Reilly.
Fulton played 35 Tests for the Kangaroos, including four Ashes series, and later coached Australia in three further series against Great Britain.
Reilly inspired Great Britain’s last Ashes series victory in 1970, and coached them to famous Test wins over the Kangaroos in 1988, 1990 and 1992.
‘I think it’s a great time to play Australia’
Australia have not lost an Ashes series since 1970, but former England and Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock is in optimistic mood going into the first Test.
Speaking on the BBC’s Rugby League Top 10 podcast, Peacock said he feels the Kangaroos are more vulnerable than some of the great Australia sides he faced in the late 2000s.
He said: “It’s a great time to play Australia. We came through and played against a team who might have had five ‘Immortals’ in there.
“They had Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis, Paul Gallen, some iconic players of the last 20 years.
“This current team have got Nathan Cleary, who’s going to be a standout head and shoulders. They’re reduced by all the Pacific Island switches.”
You can catch the latest episode of the Rugby League Top 10 podcast now on BBC Sounds.
