Of the game Adrian Morley said: (quote) It was a wake-up call. We have probably not been going as well as we thought we were but that is not to say we cannot have a good week’s preparation and sort a few things out and be ready for Wales. On the whole, we are probably disappointed with our performance. We are not devastated by any means, there was some positive stuff. (end quote)

Scorers

France
Tries: Elima, Pelissier, Duport
Goals: Bosc 3

England
Tries: Hall, Yeaman, Briscoe 2, Roby, Reed
Goals: Sinfield 4

Match Schedule Four Nations

28 Oct: Australia v New Zealand
29 Oct: England v Wales
05 Nov: England v Australia
05 Nov: Wales v New Zealand
12 Nov: England v New Zealand
13 Nov: Wales v Australia

The rest of the squad who will play France in a warm-up game on 21 October before meeting Australia, New Zealand and Wales in the Four Nations sees 2 from Hull, 1 from Castleford, 1 from Huddersfield, 2 from Wests Tigers, 2 from Wigan, 1 from Brisbane and 1 from Melbourne.

We would expect that this outfit will be far to strong for the French and in the Four Nations will beat Wales but we do not feel they will have the power to take out either Australia of New Zealand.

England’s Four Nations squad:

Carl Ablett (Leeds), Ryan Bailey (Leeds), Tom Briscoe (Hull), Garreth Carvell (Warrington), Rangi Chase (Castleford), Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield), Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers), James Graham (St Helens), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Chris Heighington (Wests Tigers), Ben Jones-Bishop (Leeds), Jamie Jones-Buchanan (Leeds), Jonny Lomax (St Helens), Michael McIlorum (Wigan), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Jamie Peacock (Leeds, capt), Jack Reed (Brisbane), James Roby (St Helens), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Gareth Widdop (Melbourne), Jon Wilkin (St Helens), Kirk Yeaman (Hull).

Home

Alternate

Buy England Rugby League 2011/12 Rugby Shirts and Jerseys

The new England Rugby League Home shirt keeps the traditional colours of white and red. The shirts are manufactured by ISC the major League shirt manufacturer and their logo is on the right upper chest, whilst national sponsor Gillette is on the torso and the England motif on the left chest, dissecting the George Cross. The alternate shirt is red and white, but has a white patch on the left chest so the George Cross can be seen. These versions are proving to be popular so get your order in now, just follow this link to the England Rugby League Shirts page.

2011 Season Prediction for England Rugby League

England will visit France on the 21 October 2011 as a warm-up game and preparation for the Four Nations during October/November. The French will not be much of a test unless they show a marked improvement from the last time they met, but it will allow McNamara to test combinations. The bigger challenges for the English will come over the weekend of the 5 November and 12 November when they play Australia and then New Zealand. This will be after they play Wales on the 29 October, at Leigh Sports Village. We expect that England will come through comfortably against the Welsh but fall short against both Australia at Wembley and New Zealand at the Kingston Communications Stadium, Hull.

The Exiles had looked the sharper of the two attacks throughout and tries from Francis Meli and Willie Manu had outweighed Richie Myler’s effort before a breathless last quarter. Any doubts that the invitational side, made up of the best of the overseas talent in Super League, would treat the encounter as less than a full Test were vanquished with big early hits from Thomas Leuluai and Craig Fitzgibbon.

Scorers

Exiles
Tries : Manu, Meli, Carmont
Goal: Richards 2

TEAMS

England: S Tomkins (Wigan); Briscoe (Hull FC), Bridge (Warrington), Shenton (St Helens), Hall (Leeds); Sinfield (Leeds), Myler (Warrington); Peacock (Leeds), Robinson Huddersfield), Graham (St Helens), Wilkin (St Helens), Westwood (Warrington), O’Loughlin (Wigan).

Replacements: McIlorum (Wigan), Morley (Warrington), Carvell (Warrington), J Tomkins (Wigan).

Exiles: Hodgson (Warrington); Richards (Wigan), Carmont (Wigan), Soliola (St Helens), Meli (St Helens); Chase (Castleford), T Leuluai (Wigan); Puletua (St Helens), Buderus (Leeds), O’Meley (Hull FC), Anderson (Warrington), Manu (Hull FC), Fitzgibbon (Hull FC).

Replacements: Faiumu (Huddersfield), K Leuluai (Leeds), Fa’alogo (Huddersfield), Morrison (Wakefield).

Attendance: 14,174.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Dewsbury).

Exiles head coach Brian McClennan has named his starting line-up for the match against England on Friday. Warrington Wolves full-back Brett Hodgson has been given the No. 1 jersey for the game and is joined in the back division by Matt King. Scrum-half and vice-captain Thomas Leuluai will play alongside Castleford Tigers half-back Rangi Chase.

Hull FC trio Craig Fitzgibbon, Willie Manu and Mark O’Meley form the core of the forward pack.Captain Danny Buderus will play at hooker.

Starting Team

Danny Buderus (capt, Leeds & Aus), Thomas Leuluai (vice capt, Wigan Warriors & NZ), George Carmont (Wigan & NZ), Rangi Chase (Castleford & NZ), Craig Fitzgibbon (Hull FC & Aus), Brett Hodgson (Warrington & Aus), Matt King (Warrington & Aus), Willie Manu (Hull FC & Tonga), Francis Meli (St Helens & NZ), Mark O’Meley (Hull FC & Aus), Tony Puletua (St Helens & NZ), Pat Richards (Wigan & Aus), Iosia Soliola (St Helens & NZ).

Interchanges: Louis Anderson (Warrington & NZ), David Fa’alogo (Huddersfield & NZ), David Faiumu (Huddersfield & NZ), Kylie Leuluai (Leeds & NZ).

Reserve: Glenn Morrison (Wakefield & Aus).

Steve McNamara the England coach said (quote) He brings a lot to Huddersfield and I am looking forward to him offering those qualities to England. His form has been there for all to see. (end quote)

Noticeable absentees are: Brough’s Huddersfield team-mate Kevin Brown, Hull and Hull KR centres Kirk Yeaman and Kris Welham, the joint leading tryscorers in Super League and St Helens winger Jamie Foster, the third highest English tryscorer in the competition, while Leeds stand-off Danny McGuire has been left out because of fitness concerns.

Included are; Warrington prop Garreth Carvell, a former Wales and Great Britain international, despite not being named in either the elite squad or the England Knights party earlier this year. Leeds forward Jamie Jones-Buchanan also comes in from outside both groups, while Warrington centre Ryan Atkins is the only player to make the step up from the Knights.

The Australian-based trio of Sam Burgess, Gareth Ellis and Gareth Widdop were not made available by their clubs, with the former ruled out anyway because of injury.

McNamara said (quote) There are considerably more than 22 players in the Super League whose current form could justify England selection, which testifies to the high standard of the competition. It is a very pleasing situation to be in. The best rugby league teams have competition for places in every position and that is exactly what we have. (end quote)

England squad:

Ryan Atkins, Chris Bridge, Garreth Carvell, Adrian Morley, Richard Myler, Ben Westwood (all Warrington), Tom Briscoe (Hull), Danny Brough, Eorl Crabtree, Leroy Cudjoe, Luke Robinson (all Huddersfield), James Graham, James Roby, Michael Shenton, Jon Wilkin (all St Helens), Ryan Hall, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield (all Leeds), Sean O’Loughlin, Joel Tomkins, Sam Tomkins (all Wigan).

Jamie Peacock is expected to be confirmed as captain.

So far the names we have for 8 of the 22 man Exiles that have been announced by coach Brian McClennan are: Exiles captain and Leeds Rhinos Danny Buderus, Leeds Rhinos full-back Brent Webb, Thomas Leuluai of Wigan vice captain, Michael Monaghan, Joel Monaghan, Louis Anderson, Brett Hodgson and Matt King all Warrington Wolves.

England Squad:

Chris Bridge, Adrian Morley, Ben Westwood, Ben Harrison, Richie Myler all Warrington Wolves, Tom Briscoe Hull FC, Liam Watts, Peter Fox, Kris Welham all Hull KR, Ryan Hall,
Danny McGuire, Jamie Peacock (C), Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Ben Jones-Bishop all Leeds Rhinos, Leroy Cudjoe, Eorl Crabtree, Luke Robinson, Danny Brough all Huddersfield Giants,
Sean O’Loughlin, Joel Tomkins, Sam Tomkins, Michael Mcllorum, Paul Prescott all Wigan Warriors, James Graham, James Roby, Michael Shenton, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Leon Pryce, Jon Wilkin all St Helens, Tony Clubb Harlequins RL and Brett Ferres Castleford Tigers.

England Youth are coached by Dave Elliott who said: (quote) I am hoping the Academy success against Australia will be a catalyst for these younger guys. They have seen what can be achieved with hard work. The Academy side worked hard all season, both on and off the field, to improve themselves as players and as people and that is the message we want to send to the youth side – that hard work can be rewarded by playing for England and gaining international success. It is early doors for these guys however. There are 17 who were in the squad last year and they have showed some potential so it will be interesting to see how they perform 12 months down the line. It will also be good to see how the newcomers handle the step up from community clubs and scholarship programmes to international level and how they all progress during the season. (end quote)

Both of England’s games against France on Friday April 22 and Tuesday April 26 kick-off 13:30pm will be played at Odsal.

England Youth 39-man Squad

Alex Abbott-Tavener (Harlequins RL)
Jack Anderson (Hull FC)
Jordan Baldwinson (Leeds Rhinos)
Josh Casey (Bradford Bulls)
Oliver Davies (St Helens)
Bradley Day (Leeds Rhinos)
Jake Dehal Clark (Castleford Tigers)
Kyle Dempsey (Wigan Warriors)
Zak Dewhirst (Warrington Wolves)
Kane Ditchfield (St. Helens)
Lewis Galbraith (St. Helens)
Gabriel Gatu (Hull FC)
Oliver Gildart (Wigan Warriors)
Ryan Hampshire (Wigan Warriors)
Jordan Harper (Leeds Rhinos)
Ali Ibrahim (Hull FC)
Joe Keyes (Harlequins RL)
Ryan Langton (Hull FC)
Bradley Lawrence (Wigan Warriors)
Michael Learmonth (Leeds Rhinos)
Scott Lee (Leeds Rhinos)
Arron Lewczenko (Wigan Warriors)
Harry Lightfoot Brown (Harlequins RL)
Jack Logan (Hull FC)
Ryan Maneely (Warrington Wolves)
Matthew Marsh (Hull KR)
Alex Mellor (Bradford Bulls)
William Milner (Warrington Wolves)
Curtis Naughton (Bradford Bulls)
Ben Parry (St Helens)
Greg Richards (St Helens)
Andre Savelio (St Helens)
Jake Shorrocks (Wigan Warriors)
Liam Sutcliffe (Leeds Rhinos)
Connor Taylor (Castleford Tigers)
Lewis Tierney (Wigan Warriors)
Bobby Tyson-Wilson (Hull FC)
Ben White (Leeds Rhinos)
George Williams (Wigan Warriors)

The agreement is from March 2011 to December 2014 and the new kit will be worn by England for the first time in June.

Andy Hewitt, the RFL’s Director of Marketing & Communications, said: (quote) I am delighted to welcome ISC as our official kit partner for the next four years. ISC and England will become synonymous over the next three years especially in the build up to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. We have some exciting plans for England’s new look and I have no doubt the partnership will excite England fans and will go on to be a long and lasting success for everyone. (end quote)

Brett Corrick, ISC’s Chief Executive, said: (quote) This is a highly significant and exciting partnership for ISC. Aligning ISC with an organisation with the prestige of the RFL demonstrates our commitment to the continual growth of the ISC brand in both the UK as well as the sport of Rugby League. The partnership reinforces ISC’s position as the number one Rugby League apparel provider in the world.”

The shirt goes on general release on 1st May and we will let you know as soon as they are available to order.

Tony Clubb

The Harlequins centre’s treble, plus two from Huddersfield’s Luke Robinson, put England 24-0 up at half-time.

But England failed to build on the lead and Makali Aizue and Menzie Yere pulled tries back for Papua New Guinea. Clubb added his fourth of the match late on as Steve McNamara’s team avoided the tournament wooden spoon. Final score:

England 36-10 Papua New Guinea

Scorers

England
Tries: Robinson (2), Clubb (4), Harrison Goals: Westwood (3), Widdop

Papua New Guinea
Tries: Aizue, Yere Goals: Aiye

Teams

England: S Tomkins (Wigan); R Hall (Leeds), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), T Briscoe (Hull); K Brown (Huddersfield), L Robinson (Huddersfield), J Graham (St Helens, capt), J Roby (St Helens), S Burgess (South Sydney), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), B Westwood (Warrington), S O’Loughlin (Wigan).
Subs: D Griffin (Huddersfield), G Carvell (Warrington), B Harrison (Warrington), G Widdop (Melbourne).

Papua New Guinea: Ryan Tongia; Michael Mark, Jessie Joe Parker; Menzie Yere; Elijah Riyong; Glen Nami, Dion Aiye; Makali Aizue, Charlie Wabo, James Nightingale, Rodney Griffin, David Loko, Paul Aiton (capt).
Subs (from): Benjamin John, Rodney Pora, Pidi Tongap, Nickson Kolo, George Moni, Richard Kambo, Johnson Kuike.