How Yorkshire could line up in War of the Roses with SEVEN clubs featured in star-studded team

The War of the Roses clash between Lancashire and Yorkshire is back on the agenda – with England head coach Shaun Wane endorsing a return of the concept.

Speaking after England’s 2-0 series victory over Samoa on Saturday evening, Wane personally backed the return of Yorkshire playing Lancashire in 2025 – as the concept appears to move a step closer to becoming a reality ahead of next year’s Ashes series against Australia on home soil.

The War of the Roses game has been dormant for almost two decades. but it looks likely to be revived next year prior to England hosting Australia in a mouthwatering three-match series. IMG are believed to be big supporters of the idea, too.

Wane has personally given the idea his approval – and has even gone as far as to suggest it would be more beneficial for the national team’s preparations than a mid-season game against France.

He then added he would love to see his two assistants, Andy Last and Lee Briers, coach the two counties in a game.

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However, nothing has yet been confirmed by the Rugby Football League or RL Commercial.

In fact, Wane admitted that England’s plans for next year’s mid-season window remain ‘up in the air’ – and hinted that he may not get everything he wants in terms of detailed preparation during the Super League season.

But, if the War of the Roses concept did return next year, then how would they line up?

Here, Love Rugby League takes a look at a potential Yorkshire line-up…

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1. Niall Evalds (Hull KR)

Evalds has been a revelation since his move to KR ahead of the 2024 season, and will hit the milestone of 250 career appearances in 2025. The 31-year-old’s sole England cap to date came back in 2021 against France, the same year that saw him scoop the Lance Todd Trophy.

2. Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity)

Winger Johnstone – Super League’s Young Player of the Year in 2016 – will return to Wakefield in 2025 having spent the last two seasons over in Perpignan with Catalans Dragons. Now 29, the flier ended as Super League’s joint-top try-scorer in 2023 and has five England caps to his name, scoring seven tries on the international front to date!

3. Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)

Leeds centre Newman has become a regular in Wane’s England side, featuring six times over the last two years. He doesn’t turn 25 until February, but his next appearance for the Rhinos will be his 100th – scoring 34 tries in his 99 games for the club at first-team level to date.

4. Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors)

Wardle, 25, is the best centre in Super League, there is no disputing that. The Halifax native has won everything there is to win with Wigan over the last couple of years, and is closing in on the milestone of 150 senior career appearances. Had it not been for pulling out of a couple of squads through injury, he’d definitely have had more than the one England cap currently on his CV.

5. Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos)

Outside-back Handley will turn 29 in February, and he has featured three times for England to date – scoring five tries in the process. The speedster, a Challenge Cup winner with Leeds in 2020, is already the Rhinos’ seventh-highest try-scorer in the Super League era and looks set to move up that list in 2025.

6. Jake Trueman (Wakefield Trinity)

Trueman, 25, has officially been a Wakefield player for a few months now, but awaits his Trinity debut. Named Super League’s Young Player of the Year in 2018, he’s never featured on the international stage but could well represent Yorkshire here given the talent pool likely to be available.

7. Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)

Super League’s reigning Man of Steel, Lewis had to settle for a deputy role in this autumn’s Test Series against Samoa, featuring off the bench at hooker in both games. Now having made five appearances for England, the 23-year-old is likely to slot back into his usual half-back role if the War of the Roses does return.

8. Alex Walmsley (St Helens)

Four-time Grand Final winner Walmsley, who turned 34 in April, missed out on selection for England this autumn on the back of an injury-hit campaign at St Helens. The veteran prop has already made well over 300 career appearances though, including 11 on the international front, and you’d expect him to don a shirt for Yorkshire in any War of the Roses clash next year.

9. Daryl Clark (St Helens)

Saints team-mate Clark, who will turn 32 in February, enjoyed a really positive first year with his new club in 2024. The 2014 Man of Steel, who lifted the Challenge Cup with Warrington Wolves in 2019, went on to deliver two strong performances in the Test Series win against Samoa, taking his England appearance tally up to 14.

10. Robbie Mulhern (Leigh Leopards)

Prop Mulhern was one of those cut from Wane’s wider squad ahead of the series against Samoa, which came as a surprise. The Leigh ace is one Super Leauge’s finest front-rowers – with appearances for both England and Ireland to his name on the international stage. A Challenge Cup winner with the Leopards in 2023, the 30-year-old is closing in on 250 career appearances.

11. James Batchelor (Hull KR)

We round Yorkshire’s starting XIII off with three Hull KR stars, and the first of those is 26-year-old Batchelor. The back-rower has been among the best in his position in Super League over the last couple of years, and awaits his international bow at senior level having previously featured for England Knights.

12. Dean Hadley (Hull KR)

Hadley, 32, was an absolute machine for KR in 2024 and played a huge role in the success that the Robins tasted. He too has only ever featured for England Knights on the international stage, but could well line up for Yorkshire in a War of the Roses game. The veteran will likely hit the milestone of 250 career appearances in 2025.

13. Elliot Minchella (Hull KR)

KR skipper Minchella made his England bow in June against France, but missed out on selection for Wane’s final squad ahead of the Samoa series. With his 29th birthday coming up in January, he too is closing in on the milestone of 250 career appearances having hit exactly 100 for the Robins when he stepped out at Old Trafford for the Grand Final.

Bench

14. Kruise Leeming (Wigan Warriors)

Leeming was born in Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), but was raised in Halifax and would most definitely be eligible to don a shirt for Yorkshire. The 29-year-old shone for Wigan in 2024 having returned from the NRL, winning all four major honours on offer. His sole England appearance to date came in 2021 against France.

15. Tom Burgess (Huddersfield Giants)

Powerhouse Burgess made his England debut in 2013, and 11 years on, is still a regular in Wane’s side – featuring in the first game of the Samoa series. The Dewsbury-born veteran, 32, will return to Super League with Huddersfield in 2025 after more than a decade Down Under in the NRL with South Sydney Rabbitohs.

16. Tyler Dupree (Wigan Warriors)

24-year-old Dupree missed out on selection for the Samoa series having seen his levels dip slightly towards the end of the 2024 campaign, but you struggle to see him not being in contention for next year’s Ashes – and we’re sure he’d be delighted to represent Yorkshire. Winning everything possible with Wigan, he has already made over 100 career appearances.

17. Mike McMeeken (Wakefield Trinity)

Yes, we know that McMeeken was born in Basingstoke, but we wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him represent Yorkshire next year if the War of the Roses does happen.

He spent six years with Castleford Tigers, and will return to the white rose county with Wakefield next term – never featuring for a Lancashire-based side in his career to this point.

The veteran forward, 30, has 12 England appearances to his name and will likely be in contention for the Ashes Series, so Wane will want to see him involved. He may well hit the milestone of 300 career appearances in 2025.