England call up St Helens' Delaney to face France

England v France Test double-header

Venue: Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse Date: Saturday, 29 June Kick-off: 14:30 BST (women), 17:00 BST (men)

St Helens prop George Delaney has earned his first elder England call-up arsenic portion of a new-look squad to return connected France successful Toulouse connected Saturday.

Castleford Tigers centre Sam Wood, Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O'Neill, Hull KR loose guardant Elliot Minchella, Huddersfield Giants guardant Oliver Wilson and Leeds Rhinos guardant James McDonnell person besides been called into Shaun Wane's 20-strong squad.

Delaney, 20, has been rewarded for an outstanding play pinch his club, establishing himself arsenic a regular successful Saints caput coach Paul Wellens' beforehand row.

Wane has selected a squad pinch plentifulness of young players, doing truthful pinch an oculus towards nan 2026 World Cup.

He said: "I’m pleased pinch nan squad we’ve brought together for this mid-season international. There is simply a beardown equilibrium betwixt immoderate much knowledgeable world players and immoderate newer faces to nan England squad."

McDonnell and Wilson were members of nan England Academy broadside who hit Australia Schoolboys successful 2018.

O'Neill, a adjacent ever-present for Wigan complete nan past 2 years, has been a cardinal fig successful a broadside who, successful June, became nan first English nine since 2007 to clasp each 4 awesome honours astatine erstwhile - nan Super League title, League Leaders’ Shield, Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge trophy.

Minchella helped Hull KR to some nan Challenge Cup Final and nan Super League play-offs successful 2023.

Delaney, who joined nan St Helens academy arsenic a 15-year-old, made his first-team debut successful April 2022, and later that twelvemonth represented England Knights against Scotland.

He returned to Saints nan pursuing play to play 18 Super League matches pursuing a indebtedness spell successful nan Championship pinch Swinton.

Last August, he signed a statement committing him to Saints until 2026, and he has missed conscionable 3 matches this season.

Next Saturday's lucifer is portion of a double-header, pinch some nan men and women taking connected France.

Wane's broadside will past look a two-Test bid against Samoa, pinch nan first lucifer astatine Wigan's Brick Community Stadium - formerly DW Stadium - connected Sunday, 27 October, and nan 2nd astatine AMT Headingley successful Leeds connected Saturday, 2 November (both 14:30 GMT).

England squad: Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), George Delaney (St Helens), Tyler Dupree (Wigan Warriors), Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos), James Harrison (Warrington Wolves), Tom Johnstone (Catalans Dragons), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten (both Hull KR), James McDonnell (Leeds Rhinos), Elliot Minchella (Hull KR), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Matty Nicholson (Warrington Wolves), Brad O’Neill, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson (all Wigan Warriors), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield Giants), Sam Wood (Castleford Tigers).