Wakefield’s Reece Lyne receives surprise England call-up for autumn Tests
Centre makes national boss Wayne Bennett's party, which also includes three Burgess brothers
REECE Lyne is the shock name in England’s squad for the autumn Test matches against France and New Zealand.
National boss Wayne Bennett has named a 24-man party for the warm-up against the French and the three matches against the Kiwis.
And Wakefield centre Lyne is the most leftfield of his selections after a fine Super League campaign.
Trinity team-mate Tom Johnstone has also made the cut, as SunSport reported earlier, but rugby league’s eligibility rules mean he can still play for Scotland in the future.
Wigan’s Joe Greenwood, Castleford’s Adam Milner and St Helens’ Luke Thompson, who travelled to Denver for the mid-season Test against New Zealand but did not play, are the other uncapped members.
Australia-based Sam, Tom and George Burgess, James Graham, Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead are in the party, which faces France at Leigh the Wednesday after the Grand Final.
However, Gareth Widdop, Kallum Watkins and Ryan Hall are all missing through injury.
Bennett said: “The England team have an attractive and important series of matches this autumn, and the players are relishing the prospect of representing their country in front of home crowds again.
“It’s important that we build on the positive work of the last couple of years, including last year’s World Cup and the Denver Test, against what we’d expect to be the usual stern challenge from the Kiwis.”
ENGLAND SQUAD TO FACE FRANCE AND NEW ZEALAND
John Bateman, George Burgess, Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess, Daryl Clark, Jake Connor, Luke Gale, James Graham, Joe Greenwood, Chris Hill, Josh Hodgson, Tom Johnstone, Jonny Lomax, Reece Lyne, Tommy Makinson, Jermaine McGillvary, Adam Milner, Sean O’Loughlin, Mark Percival, Stefan Ratchford, Luke Thompson, Sam Tomkins, Elliott Whitehead, George Williams.
FIXTURES
October 17 - England v France (Leigh)
October 27 – England v New Zealand (Hull)
November 4 – England v New Zealand (Anfield)
November 11 – England v New Zealand (Elland Road)