Mikey Lewis preferred to Jake Connor in England's Rugby League World Cup squad
Jake Connor was omitted from England's Rugby League World Cup squad on Monday, 5 October 2026, with Hull KR half-back Mikey Lewis selected among the trio of half-back options.
Connor, who plays for Leeds Rhinos, was the 2025 Super League Man of Steel and finished the season with 43 assists, more than any other player in the competition; England head coach Brian McDermott had publicly praised Connor and said in April that the Leeds half-back was part of his World Cup plans. McDermott previously described Connor as a "game-breaker" and said: "I think the rhetoric and the narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair." For Connor, the omission follows what the article describes as his controversial exclusion from last autumn's home Ashes series against Australia.
McDermott selected three half-backs for the tournament: captain George Williams of Warrington Wolves, Wigan's Harry Smith and Mikey Lewis. McDermott had indicated last month he would probably take three half-backs and that Williams "would be one of them," and the squad reflects that plan; Williams is also due to head to Australia to join NRL club Dolphins after the tournament.
The 24-man England squad features two Australia-born players selected for the first time by McDermott: Hugo Savala of the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos front-rower Ben Talty. Also earning a first call-up is Bulldogs prop Max King, who was born in Huddersfield while his father David was a player there; Victor Radley and AJ Brimson complete the Australia-born contingent in the squad.
Club representation in the squad includes three players from Warrington — Matty Ashton, Ben Currie and captain George Williams — and seven from Wigan, among them Man of Steel winner Brad O'Neill and uncapped centre Zach Eckersley. Grand Final winners Wakefield have no players selected: Tom Johnstone, the Rob Burrow man-of-the-match in Wakefield's 23-10 victory over Warrington, requires time to recover from recurring injuries, and forward Caleb Hamlin-Uele was also omitted with McDermott indicating he is injured.
Australia named its men's World Cup squad on Monday as well, with Reece Walsh included despite missing the end of the season for ankle surgery; with Penrith's Dylan Edwards ruled out with a knee injury, Walsh will vie for the full-back spot with James Tedesco. Isaah Yeo will delay surgery on a torn pectoral muscle to captain Australia, while winger Mark Nawaqanitawase and second-row Angus Crichton are absent because they are switching codes to union. Star half-back Nathan Cleary is out of the tournament with a broken and dislocated ankle. Australia men's squad: Isaah Yeo (captain), Bradman Best, Jack Bostock, Blake Brailey, Pat Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, David Fifita, Harry Grant, Keaon Koloamatangi, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Mitchell Moses, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, Jacob Preston, Kotoni Staggs, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Sam Walker, Reece Walsh.
Ali Brigginshaw was omitted from Australia's women's squad and head coach Jess Skinner said the 36-year-old Brisbane half-back was "upset" to be left out, adding: "That was one of the hardest phone calls I've had to make as a coach to a player and to talk about her and where she was." Australia women's squad: Isabelle Kelly (captain), Tarryn Aiken, Kezie Apps, Shaylee Bent, Jaime Chapman, Abbi Church, Quincy Dodd, Millie Elliott, Tiana Penitani Gray, Olivia Higgins, Ellie Johnston, Keilee Joseph, Jocelyn Kelleher, Olivia Kernick, Keeley Nizza, Sariah Paki, Julia Robinson, Jessica Sergis, Jesse Southwell, Simaima Taufa, Sarah Togatuki, Tamika Upton, Makenzie Weale.
Both England and Australia finalised their World Cup squads on Monday ahead of the tournament, with selections that include heritage-qualified players in England's group and injury-affected absences in Australia's side.