By Ian Laybourn
Super League's young player of the year George Williams is one of seven rookies named in England coach Steve McNamara's 24-man squad to face New Zealand in three Tests in November.
The Wigan stand-off, who turns 21 on the eve of the first Test against the Kiwis on November 1, has enjoyed a tremendous first full season in Super League, missing just one of his club's 34 matches.
Williams is one of six members of the Wigan side beaten 22-20 by Leeds in Saturday night's Grand Final, including loose forward Sean O'Loughlin, who is retained as captain.
The other uncapped players are Williams' teammates John Bateman and Joe Burgess, Castleford scrum-half Luke Gale, Huddersfield winger Jermaine McGillvary, Warrington second rower Ben Currie and his former clubmate Mike Cooper.
Burgess and the Sydney-based Cooper were both in McNamara's 2014 Four Nations squad but did not play while St Helens hooker James Roby, Huddersfield centre Leroy Cudjoe and Warrington forward Ben Westwood all return after missing out 12 months ago through injury.
Cudjoe is a surprise selection ahead of Castleford centre Michael Shenton, who toured last year and was in the 2015 Super League Dream Team, but could partner his Huddersfield teammate McGillvary, the league's leading try-scorer this year.
Front row forwards George Burgess (South Sydney) and Alex Walmsley (St Helens), Leeds second rower Stevie Ward, Brisbane centre Jack Reed, Warrington utility player Stefan Ratchford and Wigan second rower Joel Tomkins were all ruled out because of injury.
"There is a tremendous challenge in front of us against the best rugby league nation in the world. New Zealand will be formidable opponents," McNamara said.
England play France in Leigh on Saturday before the first Test against the Kiwis at Hull.
The second Test is in London on November 7, followed a week later by the third in Wigan.
ENGLAND SQUAD
John Bateman (Wigan), Joe Burgess (Wigan), Tom Burgess (South Sydney), Mike Cooper (St George Illawarra), Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield), Ben Currie (Warrington), Liam Farrell (Wigan), Brett Ferres (Huddersfield), Luke Gale (Castleford), James Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Zak Hardaker (Leeds), Chris Hill (Warrington), Josh Hodgson (Canberra), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan, capt), James Roby (St Helens), Matt Smith (Wigan), Sam Tomkins (New Zealand Warriors), Kallum Watkins (Leeds), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Elliott Whitehead (Catalans), Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra), George Williams (Wigan).
AFP