France B v England Knights preview: Watch full match online for free
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
England Knights’ match against France B this weekend will be live streamed for free on YouTube, the French Federation has announced.
Head coach Paul Anderson has named a 20-man squad for the match, which takes place on Saturday at the Stade Municipal Robert-Brettes Merignac in Bordeaux.
John Bateman was controversially called up to the initial Knights squad to enable him to serve the first of his three-match ban, which would make him eligible for England’s final group game at the World Cup.
Kai Pearce-Paul dropped out of the Knights squad and has since been named in Shaun Wane’s England squad.
Huddersfield centre Jake Wardle, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Warrington, was called up alongside Salford prop Tyler Dupree earlier this week.
Cumbrian prop Harvie Hill is named in the squad, despite not yet making his first team debut for Wigan, as is Featherstone centre Jack Broadbent.
Warrington youngster Josh Thewlis is believed to have turned down the chance to represent Ireland at the World Cup to accept the England Knights call.
The Knights will also travel to face Scotland in their World Cup warm-up match on October 8.
Their last game was last October when they beat Jamaica 56-4, and they beat the same opposition 38-6 in 2019.
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Chance to impress
Eleven years ago, England Knights beat the France national team 38-18 but will now face the revitalised France ‘B’, coached by Maxime Greseque.
It will give some players a final chance to play their way in to Laurent Frayssinous’ thoughts for the World Cup, where France are grouped with England.
Departing Barrow centre Hakim Miloudi is likely to be one of those with an eye on full selection, while six Catalans Dragons players are also included.
The remainder of the squad is made up of players from the French Elite Championship competition, including half-back Thomas Lacans, who spent a spell last season on loan at Newcastle Thunder.
Coach Greseque said: “This test-match against the England Knights will allow our players to compete against a very good English team and therefore to progress.
“We have three objectives: to prepare for the future and plan for the 2025 World Cup, to play high-level matches to make them progress and finally to open the door to the World Cup squad for high-performance players in the event of injury.
“All the players are already turned towards this match and motivated to achieve a real performance and above all give the best of themselves for the Blue White Red jersey.”
The game on Saturday October 1 kicks-off at 6.30pm (BST). To watch the game live on YouTube, click here.
France B v England Knights squad news
England Knights squad: Jon Bennison (St Helens), Jack Broadbent (Featherstone), Deon Cross (Salford), Tyler Dupree (Salford), Matt English (Huddersfield), Ethan Havard (Wigan), Harvie Hill (Wigan), Jordan Lane (Hull), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Ellis Longstaff (Warrington), Matt Nicholson (Warrington), Will Pryce (Huddersfield), Olly Russell (Huddersfield), Josh Thewlis (Warrington), Liam Tindall (Leeds), Owen Trout (Huddersfield), Danny Walker (Warrington), Jake Wardle (Huddersfield), Matt Whitley (Catalans)
France B squad: Vincent Albert, Georgy Gambaro (Carcassonne), Justin Bouscayrol (Limoux), Tiaki Chan, Mathieu Cozza, Romain Franco, Corentin Le Cam, Cesar Rouge, Bastien Scimone (Catalans), Fabien Jullien (Avignon), Thomas Lacans (Newcastle Thunder), Benjamin Laguerre, Gavin Marguerite, Hugo Pezet, Maxime Stefani, Dimitri Biscarro (Toulouse), Franck Maria (Lezignan), Hakim Miloudi (Barrow), Ugo Tison (Saint-Esteve), Florian Vailhen (Baroudeurs).