As the Rugby League World Cup begins in Perth, England coach Brian McDermott has offered his first real declaration of intent — not through words, but through selection. The half-back pairing of Harry Smith and captain George Williams, alongside a squad built partly on heritage and cross-hemisphere recruitment, tells a story about how McDermott sees England's place in the global game. One player's inclusion in the squad and exclusion from the matchday group — Mikey Lewis — reminds us that in sport, as in life, being chosen is not the same as being trusted.
Smith named in England half-back pairing as Lewis left out of World Cup opener
Benched despite making the squad, Lewis waits on the sideline
Mark
So McDermott leaves Lewis out of the playing squad entirely, even though he made the initial squad. That's a pretty harsh call—what does that tell us about how he's thinking?
Mimi
It suggests McDermott saw enough in Lewis to include him, but not enough to trust him when it matters. Lewis had an inconsistent year at Hull KR. When you're picking a squad for a World Cup, you're hedging your bets. You bring him in case you need him, but you don't put him on the field or the bench for the first game.
Luke
But here's the thing—we don't actually know what "inconsistent" means in this context. One source's assessment of a player's form is just that. And Lewis beat out Jake Connor, the Super League Man Of Steel, for a squad spot. That's a significant call in itself. So either McDermott saw something in Lewis that Connor didn't have, or he made a mistake twice—once in selection, once in benching him.
Mark
The heritage player angle is interesting. Brimson, King, Savala—they're all bringing overseas experience. Is that a smart move or a risk?
Mimi
It's both. You're getting players who've played at the highest level in other competitions. Brimson played in the Ashes. King and Savala have NRL experience. That's real pedigree. But they're also less familiar with how English rugby league operates week to week.
Luke
And we should be clear about what we know and don't know. Brimson made his England debut in the Ashes, so he's not completely untested. King and Savala are genuine debutants. The reporting doesn't tell us whether McDermott consulted with club coaches or whether this is purely his own assessment. We're seeing the selection, not the reasoning.
Mark
Does leaving Welsby out of the full-back spot suggest something about McDermott's style compared to Wane?
Mimi
Possibly. Wane might have gone with Welsby as the safer, more established choice. McDermott is saying, "I'm going with the player I think is best right now," even if that player comes from outside the usual pipeline. It's a statement about how he wants to operate.
Luke
But again, we don't have Wane's reasoning or what he would have done. We're inferring McDermott's philosophy from one selection. One game will tell us very little. We need to see how this plays out across the tournament.
Il Polso
- Mikey Lewis's demotion to non-playing reserves despite making the initial squad has sharpened scrutiny on McDermott's decision-making before a ball has been kicked.
- The selection of AJ Brimson over Jack Welsby at full-back signals that McDermott is willing to unsettle established hierarchies in pursuit of a stronger international outfit.
- Heritage players — including debutants Max King and Hugo Savala — bring NRL experience but limited time in the domestic game, a calculated risk that divides opinion.
- England's opening match against Tonga in Perth on Saturday will serve as an immediate verdict on whether McDermott's bold choices hold up under World Cup pressure.
As the Rugby League World Cup begins in Perth, England coach Brian McDermott has offered his first real declaration of intent — not through words, but through selection. The half-back pairing of Harry Smith and captain George Williams, alongside a squad built partly on heritage and cross-hemisphere recruitment, tells a story about how McDermott sees England's place in the global game. One player's inclusion in the squad and exclusion from the matchday group — Mikey Lewis — reminds us that in sport, as in life, being chosen is not the same as being trusted.
Brian McDermott has made his first significant statement as England rugby league coach, and it is written in selection rather than speech. Harry Smith of Wigan will start at half-back alongside captain George Williams for Saturday's World Cup opener against Tonga in Perth — a decision that leaves Mikey Lewis not merely on the bench, but among the non-playing reserves.
Lewis had already attracted attention by earning selection ahead of 2025 Super League Man of Steel Jake Connor. That choice raised questions; this one answers them bluntly. The Hull KR stand-off will not dress for the match at all, joined in the non-playing category by Ben Currie and Ben Tally — a stark signal from a coach who saw enough in Lewis to pick him, but not enough to deploy him when it matters most.
McDermott, who replaced Shaun Wane in April, has shown a clear willingness to look beyond domestic borders. AJ Brimson, born in Australia and a heritage qualifier through family ties, starts at full-back ahead of the more conventional choice of Jack Welsby. Two debutants — prop Max King, whose father David played in Huddersfield, and Hugo Savala from the NRL Grand Final-winning Sydney Roosters — join Victor Radley as heritage selections designed to bring international depth to the squad.
The broader squad sees Williams and Smith supported in the backs by Brimson, Dom Young, Savala, Herbie Farnworth, and Zach Eckersley, while the pack features King, Brad O'Neill, Morgan Knowles, Junior Nsemba, Kai Pearce-Paul, and Radley. Welsby, passed over for the starting position, features among an interchange bench that also includes Jez Litten, Luke Thompson, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters, and Matty Ashton.
England's group stage path takes them from Tonga to France on October 24 and Papua New Guinea on October 30, all within Group B-C. The women's side, coached by Stu Barrow, opens against Wales on the same Saturday, with debutants Jasmin Strange and Connie Boyd among their number.
McDermott's selections will be judged quickly. The Lewis decision in particular — included, then sidelined — is the kind of call that demands results to justify it. For now, it stands as the clearest portrait yet of a coach prepared to make uncomfortable choices and back his own reading of what England needs.
Brian McDermott has made his opening statement as England's rugby league coach, and it comes in the form of a half-back pairing that leaves one of the squad's most contentious selections on the sideline. Harry Smith of Wigan will start alongside captain George Williams at Warrington for Saturday's World Cup opener against Tonga in Perth, a decision that effectively benches Mikey Lewis despite his presence in the initial squad announcement.
Lewis, the Hull KR stand-off, had already caused a stir by securing selection over Jake Connor, who won the 2025 Super League Man Of Steel award. That choice raised eyebrows. This one answers the question it posed. Lewis will not even dress for the bench—he is listed among three non-playing reserves, a category that also includes Ben Currie and Ben Talty. It is a stark demotion for a player McDermott evidently saw enough in to include, but not enough to trust when the tournament actually begins.
McDermott, who took over from Shaun Wane in April, has signaled a clear philosophy in his opening selection. He is willing to reach across borders and bloodlines to assemble what he believes is England's strongest possible team. That thinking is most visible in his choice of AJ Brimson at full-back, a position where Jack Welsby might have been the conventional pick. Brimson, born in Australia, made his England debut during last year's Ashes series against the Kangaroos. He is one of four heritage players in the squad—those who qualify through family connection rather than birthplace.
The other heritage selections carry their own weight. Max King, a Bulldogs prop making his England debut, was born in Huddersfield while his father David played there during his time in the sport. Hugo Savala, another debutant, comes from the Sydney Roosters' NRL Grand Final-winning squad. Victor Radley rounds out this cohort of players brought in to add depth and experience from overseas competition. It is a calculated gamble on the idea that international pedigree and family ties to English rugby league can compensate for limited time in the domestic game.
The full England squad reflects McDermott's selections across the board. Alongside Williams and Smith in the backs are AJ Brimson, Dom Young, Hugo Savala, Herbie Farnworth, and Zach Eckersley. The pack includes Max King, Brad O'Neill, Morgan Knowles, Junior Nsemba, Kai Pearce-Paul, and Victor Radley. The interchange bench features Jez Litten, Luke Thompson, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters, Jack Welsby, and Matty Ashton—a group that includes Welsby, the full-back who was passed over in favor of Brimson.
England's path through the tournament is now set. After Tonga on Saturday, they face France in Perth on October 24, then Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on October 30, competing in Group B-C. The women's team, coached by Stu Barrow, will open against Wales on the same Saturday in Perth. That squad includes debutants Jasmin Strange and Connie Boyd, with uncapped Hope Millard among the interchange options.
McDermott's selections will be tested immediately. The decision to leave Lewis out of the playing squad, despite selecting him for the tournament, is the kind of call that either looks prescient or puzzling depending on what unfolds over the next fortnight. For now, it stands as the clearest signal yet of how this coach intends to operate: willing to make difficult choices, comfortable with heritage players, and apparently unconvinced that Lewis's inconsistent year warrants a starting role or even a bench spot when the stakes are highest.
Citazioni salienti
McDermott indicated that he was keen to use heritage players—those who qualify for England through family background—to ensure the strongest possible squad.— BBC Sport reporting on McDermott's selection philosophy
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