Who’ll make starting line-up for England’s World Cup opener?
WE ASK OUR WANE’S 17
The 2022 Rugby League World Cup is less than 140 days away and excitement is growing around the sport, with this year’s event set to be the most competitive yet. England will be hoping to go one better than last time, with the side falling short at the final hurdle after a heroic effort in the 6-0 defeat to Australia in 2017.
Here’s how our journalists think England could line up at St James Park for the World Cup opener.
Joe Appleyard (Hull KR & Rugby League Live reporter)
1 Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons); 2 Tom Davies (Catalans); 3 Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane Broncos); 4 Mark Percival (St Helens); 5 Tommy Makinson (St Helens); 6 Jonny Lomax (St Helens); 7 Jackson Hastings (Wests Tigers); 8 Alex Warmsley (St Helens); 9 Kruise Leeming (Leeds Rhinos); 10 Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs ); 11 Liam Farrell (Wigan); 12 Elliot Whitehead (Canberra Raiders); 13 Morgan Knowles (St Helens); 14 Luke Thompson (Canterbury-bankstown Bulldogs); 15 Ryan Sutton (Canberra); 16 John Bateman
(Wigan); 17 Daryl Clark (Warrington).
Of course there will be people who disagree with my selection process, but if Shaun Wane is willing to consider picking Hastings, he’s my starting seven for sure.
The bench for England will be crucial, especially once they meet the “big boys” in the knockout rounds, Sutton and Thompson are no-nonsense forwards who could possibly get the starting prop shirts, but Bateman makes my bench to offer a versatile option depending on how the games are panning out.
One player I am looking forward to seeing is Herbie Farnworth. The outside-back has been in fantastic form for the Broncos, and is set to make his England debut at the end of the year.
Leaving Jack Welsby and George Williams out was a tough call to make, but they should also be included in the squad for the World Cup.
Matthew Shaw (Rugby League Live Editor)
1 Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons); 2 Tommy Makinson (St Helens); 3 Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane); 4 Mark Percival (St Helens); 5 Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos); 6 Jonny Lomax (St
A few difficult calls to make there. I’ve given Ash Handley the nod on the wing over Joe Burgess, Tom Davies and Jermaine Mcgillvary. Handley has been Leeds’ best player by a mile this year and the stats tell you everything - he is Super League’s top metre maker and top ball carrier.
George Williams should be able to fire in this team so he gets the benefit of the doubt.
If I was Wane I’d be on to James Roby daily begging him to come out of retirement as he remains England’s best hooker by some distance.
Perhaps my most bold call is to leave out Elliot Whitehead and put Morgan Smithies in his place.
The Wigan youngster has been phenomenal this season and given Liam Farrell and John Bateman both play 80 minutes as opposed to Morgan Knowles who doesn’t - Smithies is a better option.
On a side note, I feel guilty for not finding Jack Welsby a place.
Ross Heppenstall (Rugby League Live)
1 Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons) 2 Tommy Makinson (St Helens); 3 Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane Broncos); 4 Mark Percival (St Helens); 5 Ash Handley (Leeds); 6 Jonny Lomax (St Helens); 7 George Williams (Warrington); 8 Alex Walmsley (St Helens); 9 James Roby (St Helens); 10 Luke Thompson (Canterbury Bulldogs); 11 Elliott Whitehead (Wigan); 12 John Bateman (Wigan); 13 Morgan Knowles (St Helens); 14 Tom Burgess
Sam Tomkins, the 2021 Steve Prescott Man of Steel, is a shoo-in at full-back given his influence on Catalans Dragons and long-standing relationship with Shaun Wane, who nurtured him in the Wigan Warriors academy many years ago.
Tommy Makinson is arguably the best winger in Super League right now - he is almost certainly the most consistent in terms of try-scoring and work-rate out of yardage - and Ash Handley has proved his worth on the opposite flank for Leeds this term.
In the centres it is hard to look beyond Herbie Farnworth and Mark Percival.
Both are enjoying fine seasons at Brisbane and St Helens respectively while in the halves, Jonny Lomax has to be included and George Williams, despite underwhelming for Warrington, should make the cut alongside him.
In the pack, James Roby remains the Peter Pan of Super League, proving once again that despite his age he is in a class of his own in terms of English hookers and surely has to play at the World Cup. Elliott Whitehead edges out the in-form Liam Farrell alongside his old Bradford pal John Bateman in the second row while I would make room on the bench for the supremelytalented St Helens youngster Jack Welsby for his utility value and gamebreaking ability.
William Jackson (Hull FC & Rugby League Live reporter)
1 Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons); 2 Tommy Makinson (St Helens); 3 Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane Broncos); 4 Mark Percival (St Helens); 5 Dominic Young (Newcastle Knights); 6 Jonny Lomax (St Helens); 7 George Williams (Warrington); 8 Alex Walmsley (St Helens); 9 Paul Mcshane (Castleford Tigers); 10 Luke Thompson (Canterbury Bulldogs); 11 Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors); 12 Elliot Whitehead
Shaun Wane will have some tough calls to make when he comes to selecting his squad of players.
Trying to squeeze the considerable talent at his disposal into a 17-man line-up is even trickier and you’ll see I’ve had to leave some star performers out of this side.
This may well be the last year that Sam Tomkins is picked ahead of Jack Welsby, such is the youngster’s talent. Tommy Makinson and Dom Young get the nod on the wings for me, but Ash Handley and Tom Davies can feel hard done by.
The halves selection looks relatively straightforward, while Alex Walmsley and Luke Thompson are England’s best props.
Paul Mcshane hasn’t been in top form this year, but starting him would allow Daryl Clark the opportunity to make an impact off the bench. Elliot Whitehead just edges out John Bateman in the back-row, too.
Aaron Bower (Rugby League Live reporter)
1 Sam Tomkins (Catalans); 2 Tommy Makinson (St Helens); 3 Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane); 4 Harry Newman (Leeds); 5 Tom Davies (Catalans); 6 Jonny Lomax (St Helens); 7 George Williams (Warringtons); 8 Alex Walmsley (St Helens); 9 James Roby (St Helens); 10 Luke Thompson (Canterbury); 11 Liam Farrell (Wigan); 12 John Bateman (Wigan); 13 Morgan Knowles (St Helens); 14 Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs); 15 Matty Lees (St Helens); 16 Morgan Smithies (Wigan Warriors); 17 Jack Welsby (St Helens).
The first port of call if I were Shaun Wane would be to break down James Roby’s door and beg him to come out of international retirement. He’s still England’s best hooker and he’s still good enough to play 80 minutes in a World Cup.
That would open the door for a utility on the bench, and it gives me the opportunity to squeeze Jack Welsby in. Sam Tomkins is the starting fullback but any 17 with
Welsby in is instantly more dangerous.
Another big call is the wing, and while Tommy Makinson is a lock on one side, Tom Davies gets the nod on the other.
He’s a Wane type of winger and has been outstanding for Catalans. The toughest decision is the bench. Elliott Whitehead is the most unfortunate man to miss out for me.