Eight Wigan Warriors players named in Shaun Wane's extended England squad

Liam Farrell, Ethan Havard, Toby King, Liam Marshall, Kai Pearce-Paul, Harry Smith, Morgan Smithies and Jake Wardle are all included.

They will be hoping to impress ahead of the upcoming mid-season international against France at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on April 29 (K.O. 4.30pm), which will be the first outing for Shaun Wane’s side since their Rugby League World Cup semi-final defeat to Samoa at the Emirates.

Farrell missed last year’s tournament through injury, while Marshall and Smith weren’t picked for the final squad, but did feature in the warm-up game against Fiji.

Pearce-Paul did make the final cut, and scored in the 94-4 victory over Greece at Bramall Lane.

Wardle played in last year’s mid-season international, while Havard, King and Smithies are yet to make a senior appearance for England.

On his squad, Wane said: “I’ve selected a very young extended squad this time around and that is very much with the 2025 World Cup in France in mind.

"There are still several experienced players within the squad who featured in last year’s World Cup, and others who could come back in. I am hoping the more experienced cohort help those younger players adapt and thrive in an international camp which will be very demanding.

“As always, the squad will be fluid, and players will be added if they are performing well and vice versa should performances dip. I think the squad really shows the depth of talent across the Betfred Super League, which plenty of people saw in person and on TV across the Easter Weekend.

“The mid-season international against France is the first step on the road to the next Rugby League World Cup and we are hoping to begin the journey in front of a packed house at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium.”

The upcoming fixture in Warrington forms part of a double-header, with England Women also in action against France earlier in the day (K.O. 2pm).

Here is the full squad:

Jordan Abdull (Hull KR)

Andy Ackers (Salford Red Devils)

Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves)

Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves)

Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves)

Tom Davies (Catalans Dragons)

Tyler Dupree (Salford Red Devils)

Lewis Dodd (St Helens)

Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors)

Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)

Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos)

James Harrison (Warrington Wolves)

Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors)

Chris Hill (Huddersfield Giants)

Tom Holroyd (Leeds Rhinos)

Tom Johnstone (Catalans Dragons)

Toby King (Wigan Warriors)

Morgan Knowles (St Helens)

Matty Lees (St Helens)

Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)

Jez Litten (Hull KR)

Jonny Lomax (St Helens)

Tommy Makinson (St Helens)

Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors)

Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons)

Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)

Matty Nicholson (Warrington Wolves)

Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos)

Kai Pearce-Paul (Wigan Warriors)

Mark Percival (St Helens)

Will Pryce (Huddersfield Giants)

Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors)

Morgan Smithies (Wigan Warriors)

Josh Thewlis (Warrington Wolves)

Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves)

Alex Walmsley (St Helens)

Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors)

Jack Welsby (St Helens)

George Williams (Warrington Wolves)

Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield Giants)