Connor out, Lewis in as England name World Cup squad
England's rugby league head coach Brian McDermott has finalized the 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, notably excluding Jake Connor in favor of Mikey Lewis. The team is preparing for their opening match against Tonga on October 17.
Why it matters
Squad selection for major international tournaments is a significant event for sports fans and impacts the competitive landscape of professional rugby league.
Jake Connor missed out on a Rugby League World Cup spot by a "small margin" as England seek the players who can best stick to their gameplan, head coach Brian McDermott says.
Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel, was left out of the 23-man squad for the tournament - to be held largely in Australia - with Hull KR's Mikey Lewis making the cut instead.
For Connor, it is another England disappointment to follow his controversial omission from the squad for last autumn's home series against Australia.
"Jake Connor missed out on selection by a small margin and it came down to who I think can best stick to the game plan and attack plan," McDermott said.
The 31-year-old had been expected to make the squad after being talked up by McDermott and enjoying a strong domestic season.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in