In a surprising turn of events, Mikey Lewis has been excluded from the squad for England's opening match in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup against Tonga. Instead, Harry Smith has been named alongside captain George Williams in the half-back positions.

Lewis, who narrowly secured a place in the England squad over 2025 Super League Man Of Steel Jake Connor, has not even made the bench for the fixture set to take place on Saturday. Despite a challenging season, the head coach Brian McDermott had initially believed Lewis could contribute alongside Williams and Smith.

However, he will now join Ben Currie and Ben Talty as non-playing reserves, a decision that underscores the competition for spots in the England lineup.

England's schedule includes:

• Tonga in Perth on Saturday
• France in Perth on 24 October
• Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on 30 October

The final squad for the match features notable players:

• AJ Brimson
• Dom Young
• Hugo Savala
• Herbie Farnworth
• Zach Eckersley
• George Williams
• Harry Smith
• Max King
• Brad O'Neill
• Morgan Knowles
• Junior Nsemba
• Kai Pearce-Paul
• Victor Radley

Interchange players include:

• Jez Litten
• Luke Thompson
• Ethan Havard
• Sam Walters
• Jack Welsby
• Matty Ashton.

As the tournament approaches, all eyes will be on how England performs without Lewis in their ranks.