Escare poised for Warriors recall

The Frenchman is expected to start at full-back in place of Sam Tomkins when they take on Denis Betts’ Widnes.

Escare has not figured in Wigan’s last four matches – all victories – but will get his chance this week.

Tomkins, 29, has never played at Widnes since they installed an artificial pitch.

However, Wane says he has has a foot injury which has limited his training.

“Sam’s foot is sore, so he won’t play,” said Wane. “So Morgan will play instead.”

Wane has yet to select the rest of the side but said Australian prop Gabriel Hamlin was in his thoughts.

Centre Dan Sarginson is a doubt after a back spasm, suffered minutes before last Friday’s 28-12 win against Castleford, but has been named in the 19-man squad.

Ben Flower, Joel Tomkins and Liam Farrell all miss out.

Meanwhile, former prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala has caught some by surprise with a swipe at his former club.

“They did things that I felt were not professional and right to be honest,” the Sydney Roosters prop told Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph.

“I still had a contract, but they made it difficult and they didn’t really care about my family to be honest. They didn’t want to release me early and they were just trying to play hard ball.”

His remarks followed a social media post by his wife criticising England as a “terrible country” – though eagle-eyed fans quickly pointed out she was fiercely critical of Canberra when Nuuausala left the Raiders to join Wigan in 2016.

Wigan Warriors 19-Man squad: John Bateman, Joe Burgess, Tony Clubb, Tom Davies, Morgan Escaré, Callum Field, Josh Ganson, Oliver Gildart, Gabe Hamlin, Willie Isa, Tommy Leuluai, Liam Marshall, Romain Navarrete, Sean O’Loughlin, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, George Williams