Playing in the NRL doesn’t guarantee England selection, says Shaun Wane

The nature of rugby league having two professional club competitions on opposite sides of the world means there will inevitably be occasions that the England squad won’t truly be at full strength.

Logistics, and no doubt the demands of NRL clubs, mean it’s unlikely that English players based Down Under will be able to partake in mid-season internationals, such as the one against France at the end of April.

While it does create opportunity for other players to stake their claim for a jersey, it also means that you’re never truly sure of seeing the best England team possible apart from in the autumn.

At present, with due respect to the players currently plying their trade in the NRL, it isn’t as disruptive as it could be in future – if talk of the likes of Jack Welsby and Lewis Dodd being lured there to follow Will Pryce, who is due to hook up with Newcastle Knights next season.

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Players in the NRL available for Shaun Wane

There are currently nine previously capped by England players playing in the NRL, as well as Great Britain international Jackson Hastings and ex-Wigan prop Ryan Sutton, who played for England in the World Cup 9s but doesn’t have a full international appearance.

Seven of those nine featured in Shaun Wane’s squad at last year’s World Cup, including new Wests Tigers recruit John Bateman.

England Knights star Pryce and Wigan back-rower Kai Pearce-Paul, who played at the World Cup, will join them when they move to the NRL with Newcastle next season.

It presents challenges for Wane in terms of getting his players together.

He said: “When we have meetings with our players over here they get videos. I have Zooms with them and everything I speak to our players over here they get.

“They have one-on-ones with me and we have group Zooms so they get a lot of information.

“When they arrived in the World Cup, people like Tom Burgess, had been in many meetings and understood what we were about and what were the England standards, so it was quite an easy process.”

NRL players need to show form

One of the stars of the World Cup, winger Dom Young, was a late call-up having impressed in the NRL last season.

He had previously been slated to play alongside brother Alex for Jamaica, but ended up playing for England and scored nine tries in five appearances.

That included four tries in the 94-4 thrashing of Greece.

The 21-year-old’s stock continues to rise, though he finds himself on the sidelines in the NRL at present having been left out of the Knights squad in recent weeks amidst speculation that he is making a big money move to Sydney Roosters at the end of the year.

Fellow outside back Herbie Farnworth is enjoying a fine start to the season with Brisbane Broncos sitting at the top of the NRL table.

Farnworth, 23, is heading to new NRL club the Dolphins under former England coach Wayne Bennett next season.

Wane added: “They’ve not played many games. Hopefully I get over to see them later on in the year but they are both good players. Even though Dom is struggling at the minute he can play as you saw last October.

“I’m not one of them people where I’m obsessed that if they play in the NRL then they play for England, that’s definitely not the case. I made a choice on that with Ryan Sutton, so they know that their form needs to be of an England-standard player in the NRL.”

Veteran hooker Josh Hodgson is unlikely to feature in Wane’s thoughts, while Hastings doesn’t appear to have been considered despite being eligible for England and having played for Great Britain.

Former Castleford youngster Bailey Hodgson is yet to make his NRL debut but could be one to watch.

Ex-Wigan centre Oliver Gildart is still trying to establish himself Down Under with the Dolphins, and Sutton has moved on to Canterbury Bulldogs, playing alongside Luke Thompson.

Sydney Roosters loose forward Victor Radley and Canberra captain Elliott Whitehead complete the list of players available to Wane currently plying their trade in the NRL.

England women’s star sits out

It’s not just England men’s team that is facing headaches when it comes to selecting players from Down Under.

England women’s star Georgia Wilson has been left out of Stuart Barrow’s squad for their upcoming international against France.

Wilson, 25, left Wigan at the end of last season to take up an opportunity with South Logans Magpies in Australia in a bid to crack the NRLW. She has started in all three of the Magpies wins at the start of the Queensland Premiership campaign.

But with the NRLW taking steps forward to increase its salary cap, offering more full-time opportunities, it may be that more England women’s players are tempted to make the move Down Under to turn professional.

That could then impact on who is available to turn out for England in the home internationals.

The salary cap has grown to $900k (c£490k) for this season at average of $37.5k (c£21k) per player, with plans for that to increase to $1.5m by 2027.

A Grand Final winner with Wigan, and a member of their squad since its inception in 2017, Wilson scored a try in England’s win over Canada at last year’s World Cup.

She was named in a 25-strong National Performance Squad ahead of the game against France on April 29, which will be Barrow’s first game in charge.

But she won’t be considered for selection as a result of her move to Australia.

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