Sam Tomkins has been named in a 31-man England squad that has been announced today while Tom Davies and Matt Whitley have been named in the England Knights squad.

England Head Coach Shaun Wane has invited 31 prospective Ashes candidates to a players’ gathering at Old Trafford on Monday 23 March – and included a further eight NRL-based players on his ‘watch list’ ahead of the autumn series against Australia.

Also invited to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup Final venue are more than 30 players identified by Knights’ coach Paul Anderson as possibilities for his 2020 squad.

Invites have been issued on the basis of Wane’s observations during the opening rounds of Betfred Super League XXV, and on insight gained from his discussions with club coaches.   

Among the players invited is Hull FC’s Josh Griffin, who has never previously been part of England’s senior set-up.

Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves), Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers) and Wigan’s Liam Farrell and Zak Hardaker did not feature in the England Performance Squad (EPS) named in July 2019, but will be at Old Trafford.

Four of the players invited featured in the England Knights squad last term. They are Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Dom Manfredi (Wigan Warriors) and Leeds centre Harry Newman who in 2018 was in the England Academy squad that defeated the touring Australians.

In total, 21 of those invited featured in the 27-strong EPS named in July 2019.

The NRL-based players are John Bateman, Josh Hodgson, Ryan Sutton, Elliott Whitehead and George Williams (all Canberra Raiders), Tom Burgess (South Sydney), James Graham (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Kallum Watkins (Gold Coast).  

Old Trafford: Senior invites

Josh Charnley (Warrington Wolves), Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves), Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors), Luke Gale (Leeds Rhinos), Oliver Gildart (Wigan Warriors), Josh Griffin (Hull FC), Zak Hardaker (Wigan Warriors), Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves), Jack Hughes (Warrington Wolves), Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Jonny Lomax (St Helens), Reece Lyne (Wakefield Trinity), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants), Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers), Tommy Makinson (St Helens), Dom Manfredi (Wigan Warriors), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Mark Percival (St Helens), Joe Philbin (Warrington Wolves), Stefan Ratchford (Warrington Wolves), James Roby (St Helens), Dan Sarginson (Salford Red Devils), Scott Taylor (Hull FC), Luke Thompson (St Helens), Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons), Alex Walmsley (St Helens), Liam Watts (Castleford Tigers)

England Knights invites

Matthew Ashton (Warrington Wolves), Jack Ashworth (St Helens), Jake Bibby (Wigan Warriors), Robert Butler (London Broncos), Tom Davies (Catalans Dragons), Matty English (Huddersfield Giants), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Toby King (Warrington Wolves), George Lawler (Hull KR), Matty Lees (St Helens), Kruise Leeming (Leeds Rhinos), Darnell McIntosh (Huddersfield Giants), Michael McMeeken (Castleford Tigers), Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors), Masimbaashe Matongo (Hull FC), Greg Minikin (Hull KR), Adam O'Brien (Huddersfield Giants), Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos), Oliver Partington (Wigan Warriors), Sam Powell (Wigan Warriors), Danny Richardson (Castleford Tigers), Aaron Smith (St Helens), Cameron Smith (Leeds Rhinos), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Wigan Warriors), Jake Trueman (Castleford Tigers), Danny  Walker (Warrington Wolves), Jack Walker (Leeds Rhinos), Jake Wardle (Huddersfield Giants), Jack Welsby (St Helens), Matt Whitley (Catalans Dragons), Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield Giants)