Richie Myler replaces Luke Gale in England squad
Richie Myler has replaced the injured Luke Gale in the England squad for this autumn’s internationals against France and New Zealand.
The Leeds Rhinos half-back, who has six England caps plus two appearances against the Exiles, fills the place vacated by the withdrawal of Castleford’s Gale.
He trained with England in Manchester on Sunday, and will be in contention for Wednesday’s one-off Test against France at Leigh Sports Village – which is followed by a three-Test series against New Zealand.
In addition, England have called up six players from the England Knights squad to add to their selection options for Wednesday’s Test against France.
Myler’s Leeds team-mates Ash Handley and Liam Sutcliffe are joined by Castleford’s Oliver Holmes, Hull FC’s Jamie Shaul, Robbie Mulhern of Hull Kingston Rovers and Matt Whitley from Widnes Vikings. All six are currently uncapped by England, and also trained with the senior squad in Manchester on Sunday.
They will rejoin the Knights after Wednesday night’s game, with the squad departing on Thursday for a three-week trip which includes two internationals against Papua New Guinea in Lae and Port Moresby.
The call-ups were necessary because of the involvement of nine of England’s squad in Saturday’s Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford between Wigan and Warrington. These players will come into the England camp following the France Test.
Revised England and England Knights squads:
England: Bateman (Wigan), G Burgess (South Sydney), T Burgess (South Sydney), Clark (Warrington), Connor (Hull FC), Gildart (Wigan), Graham (St George Illawarra), Greenwood (Wigan), Hill (Warrington), Hodgson (Canberra), Johnstone (Wakefield), Lomax (St Helens), Lyne (Wakefield), McGillvary (Huddersfield), Makinson (St Helens), Milner (Castleford), Myler (Leeds), O’Loughlin (Wigan), Percival (St Helens), Ratchford (Warrington), Thompson (St Helens), Tomkins (Wigan), Whitehead (Canberra), Williams (Wigan).
England Knights: Hughes (Warrington, captain), Atkin (Hull KR), Batchelor (Wakefield), Davies (Wigan), Evalds (Salford), Fash (Hull FC), Hadley (Hull FC), Handley (Leeds), Holmes (Castleford), T King (Warrington), Leeming (Huddersfield), Lees (St Helens), Lineham (Warrington), Livett (Warrington), Mulhern (Hull KR), Oledzki (Leeds), Philbin (Warrington), Powell (Wigan), Shaul (Hull FC), Sutcliffe (Leeds), J Walker (Leeds), D Walker (Widnes), Whitley (Widnes).
England players not available for France game because of involvement in Super League Grand Final: John Bateman, Oliver Gildart, Joe Greenwood, Sean O’Loughlin, Sam Tomkins, George Williams (all Wigan); Daryl Clark, Chris Hill, Stefan Ratchford (all Warrington).
England Knights players called into England squad for France game: Ash Handley (Leeds), Oliver Holmes (Castleford), Robbie Mulhern (Hull KR), Jamie Shaul (Hull FC), Liam Sutcliffe (Leeds), Matt Whitley (Widnes).