England's Rugby League World Cup squad has been named, with Jake Connor absent once again.
Connor's omission from last year's Ashes squad was the biggest call made by then-head coach Shaun Wane, particularly on the back of a Man of Steel-winning campaign by the Leeds Rhinos man.
After another superb season with the Rhinos, in which Connor was again named at scrum half in the Super League Dream Team, many thought the former Huddersfield Giant would get the nod, particularly given coach Brian McDermott's previous remarks.
Speaking in September, McDermott said: "When I name my 23-man squad and I finalise the positions, I think you’ll find there’s coverage everywhere. There’s only a couple of players who can only play one position.”
And speaking in April, McDermott said: "I think the rhetoric and the narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair. I understand where Jake Connor comes from in that he's liked by some and disliked by others. Okay, that comes in the nature of the game.
"We could sit around a table and debate whether he's a nice person or not. I just don't think that's a fair narrative to be made public and that was the rhetoric around him.
"What nobody can argue is that he's a tremendous player. He's a fantastic player. He's a game-breaker."
Given Connor's versatility and McDermott's admiration for the half, many thought Connor would earn a call-up, but his divisive personality on the pitch seems to have been the primary reason for his exclusion.
Connor led the Super League assist charts in 2026 with a remarkable 43. Jackson Hastings was second with 29.
Connor's omission means Mikey Lewis retains his place in the squad after a challenging year with Hull Kingston Rovers. The 2024 Man of Steel and the 2025 Grand Final winner struggled in 2026 with the Robins and found himself suspended on multiple occasions.
England Rugby League World Cup squad
Player | Position | Team |
Matty Ashton | Winger | Warrington Wolves |
AJ Brimson | Full-back | Gold Coast Titans |
Ben Currie | Loose forward | Warrington Wolves |
Zach Eckersley | Winger | Wigan Warriors |
Herbie Farnworth | Centre | Dolphins |
Ethan Havard | Prop | Wigan Warriors |
Max King | Prop | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
Morgan Knowles | Loose forward | St Helens |
Mikey Lewis | Half-back | Hull KR |
Jez Litten | Hooker | Hull KR |
Junior Nsemba | Prop | Wigan Warriors |
Brad O’Neill | Hooker | Wigan Warriors |
Kai Pearce-Paul | Second row | Newcastle Knights |
Victor Radley | Loose forward | Sydney Roosters |
Hugo Savala | Centre | Sydney Roosters |
Harry Smith | Half-back | Wigan Warriors |
Morgan Smithies | Loose forward | Canberra Raiders |
Ben Talty | Prop | Brisbane Broncos |
Luke Thompson | Prop | Wigan Warriors |
Sam Walters | Second row | Wigan Warriors |
Jack Welsby | Full-back | St Helens |
George Williams | Half-back | Warrington Wolves |
Dom Young | Winger | Newcastle Knights |
