Predicting England’s next 4 debutants including Leeds Rhinos and St Helens forwards

2025 is a big year for England with the Ashes series against Australia firmly on the horizon: and players right across Super League and the NRL will be vying for a call-up to the squad over the next year. 

England coach Shaun Wane will certainly be spoiled for choice with some of the best talent in the game eligible to be included: but he will need to narrow his choices down to get his chosen squad.

But, who could Wane opt to hand a debut to this coming year? Love Rugby League has scanned across both the NRL and Super League to find some players who could win their first England cap in 2025.

Cam Smith (Leeds Rhinos)

The No. 13 role is an incredibly competitive position for England – with Victor Radley, Morgan Knowles and Elliot Minchella all being capped this year: but Leeds Rhinos co-captain Cameron Smith has been consistently good for a number of years now and could be a good addition to the England squad.

He finished the 2024 campaign with a whopping 992 tackles – the highest in Super League – from his 26 appearances, an average of 38.2 a game. He also made himself busy in attack, too, with 367 carries to his name – the fourth-highest at the Rhinos.

Despite only being 26, Smith is also a good leader and would add another calm and composed head to Wane’s squad, which is so valuable at Test level.

George Delaney (St Helens)

We might be slightly cheating with this one, considering he was an unused 18th man in England’s win over France earlier this year: but St Helens prop George Delaney could be in line to win a cap in 2025.

Delaney has proved to be one of the best up-and-coming props in the division since becoming a regular for the Saints in 2023, and bringing him into the Test picture would be a huge chance to develop his game ahead of the World Cup in 2026.

He is a proper attacking workhorse, and made a whopping 1,634 metres from his 238 carries in 2024, busting 50 tackles in the process. This desire to get his hands on the ball really fits in with how Wane wants to use his front-rowers, and with the likes of Chris Hill and Tom Burgess nearing the ends of their Test career, it could be a smart move to bring him in as their long-term replacements.

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Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors)

Wigan Warriors back Zach Eckersley was handed a great chance to play regular first-team minutes in 2024: and my oh my did he take it with both hands.

After impressing on his first start against London Broncos, where he scored a superb 60-metre try, suspensions and injuries to Adam Keighran and Jai Field respectively meant he was thrust into the Warriors backline on a regular basis.

He notched an impressive haul of seven tries across the campaign, including in their Challenge Cup final win, and was a constant threat in attack with 1,175 metres from 148 carries.

Wane has shown he is willing to blood in different centres over his time as England coach, so if he continues his rich vein of form, then he could find himself getting a call-up sooner rather than later.

Lewis Dodd (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

This might be a big call, considering George Williams, Harry Smith and Mikey Lewis seem to be Wane’s preferred half-back unit: but Lewis Dodd’s switch to the NRL could help him finally crack into the England fold.

The 22-year-old struggled for form in 2024 but when on song he has been at the heart of a dominant St Helens side: and played a big part in their success in recent years.

When at his best, he is a very creative player and also has an eye for the try-line too, with seven efforts to his name in 2024.

The effect that super-coach Wayne Bennett could have on him and the development he will undergo at the Rabbitohs should fill Wane with excitement. It would take a lot for him to push out the aforementioned trio of Williams, Smith and Lewis: but if he unlocks his full potential Down Under, then he could enter Wane’s thoughts.

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