Raiders forward Morgan Smithies has missed the cut as England coach Shaun Wane reduced his squad to 19 for Sunday’s First Test against Samoa.
The trimmed squads were announced on Friday as per the convention in Britain for 48 hours before kick-off, with Samoa coach Ben Gardiner giving less away than Tonga’s Kristian Woolf, who 12 months ago named his 19 for each Test in playing order.
Gardiner instead followed Wane’s lead in ordering the players alphabetically.
Smithies made 24 appearances for Canberra this year but will be watching from the Brick Community Stadium stands as fellow NRL stars John Bateman, Tom Burgess, Herbie Farnworth, Kai Pearce-Paul, Victor Radley and Dom Young don the red and white - which these days has more than a dash of blue.
There is one potential debutant in the England 19 - Wigan’s popular Junior Nsemba - and nine for Samoa: Shawn Blore, Deine Mariner, Jeremiah Nanai, Junior Pauga, Paul Roache, Blaize Talagi, Jeral Skelton, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Lazarus Vaalepu.
Farnworth the bulldozer
Missing from the England side which beat France 40-8 at Toulouse’s Stade Ernest Wallon on June 29 are wingers Tom Johnson and Ash Handley, centre Sam Wood, hooker Brad O’Neill, back rowers Matty Nicholson and Elliott Minchella and reserves James Harrison, Tyler Dupree and Oli Wilson.
In come the six NRL players plus winger Matty Ashton, hooker Daryl Clark, prop Ethan Havard and back-rower Morgan Knowles.
From the side beaten 50-0 by New Zealand at Eden Park on October 21 last year, there only four Samoan survivors: Gordon Chan Kum Tong, Luciano Leilua, Keenan Palasia and Terrell May.
Toa Samoa will hold a captains run at the match venue on Saturday, with Gardiner to address the media afterwards.
Ticket sales had reached 15,000 by Friday night, the RFL said. Liam Moore is the referee.
Teams for the match, which kicks off at the Brick Community Stadium at 2.30pm Sunday local time (1.30am Monday AEDT) are:
ENGLAND (squad): Matty Ashton (Warrington), John Bateman (Wests Tigers), Tom Burgess (Huddersfield), Ben Currie (Warrington), Daryl Clark (St Helens), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Mike McMeeken (Wakefield), Harry Newman (Leeds), Junior Nsemba (Wigan), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (capt, Warrington), Dom Young (Sydney Roosters).
SAMOA (squad): John Asiata (Hull FC), Shawn Blore (Melbourne), Gordon Cham Kum Tong (Manly), Luciano Leilua (St George Illawarra), Jarome Luai (capt, Wests Tigers), Deine Mariner (Brisbane), Terrell May (Sydney Roosters), Anthony Milford (Dolphins), Francis Molo (St George Illawarra), Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland), Kennan Palasia (Leeds), Junior Pauga (Sydney Roosters), Paul Roache (Warriors), Blaize Talagi (Penrith), Jeral Skelton (Wests Tigers), Izack Tago (Penrith), Jazz Tevaga (Manly), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors), Lazarus Vaalepu (Melbourne).
