England boss Shaun Wane faces centre conundrum after naming squad for Greece game

Ryan Hall, Dom Young and Tommy Makinson are battling for two spots in Wane's strongest team for the knockout stages.

Huddersfield Giants academy product Young has scored four tries in two games, while Hull KR veteran Hall marked his return to the side with a double in the win over France.

Makinson started the opening match against Samoa but was given last week off to nurse a knock.

With Kallum Watkins missing out due to concussion protocols and Herbie Farnworth rested, Wane may find room for all three.

Kai Pearce-Paul and John Bateman are among Wane's other options for the centre spots.

George Williams will captain the side in the absence of the rested Sam Tomkins, who is likely to be replaced by Jack Welsby at full-back.

“Sam is going to get a break this week,” said Wane. “He’s a few things he’s got to sort out with his body and he’ll hopefully be flying for the quarter-finals.”

Michael McIlorum and Elliott Whitehead have also been given the weekend off after appearing in the opening two games.

Pearce-Paul and Joe Batchelor, the only two members of the 24-man squad yet to feature in the tournament, will make their Test debuts at Bramall Lane.

“Watching the lads go out and produce has made me more hungry to be part of it even more and I can’t wait for Saturday now,” said Wakefield-born Batchelor.

“Every time you don’t play, you are always itching to get out there.

“You obviously go up a level of intensity but I’ve got great players going to be playing alongside me in every position.”

Makinson, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Mike McMeeken and Mike Cooper are all in line for recalls after missing last week's clash with France, while Leeds Rhinos prop Mikolaj Oledzki is set to get another opportunity to push his case for a place in Wane's team for the quarter-finals.

A third straight win in Sheffield would confirm top spot for England and a date with the Group D runners-up at the DW Stadium on November 5.

England are expected to rack up the points against the Greeks, who lost 72-4 to Samoa in their last match, but Wane is determined not to take them lightly.

“Greece have leaked some points but we’re still going to be really respectful,” he said. “If you switch off, they will offload on play two, chip on play three – it’s anything goes with them. They’ve got a great kicking game.

“We had a really tough week before the French game, this week we’ve laid off the players a bit, they’ve had less metres on their legs, so the players will be very fresh this week.

“I want them to go out and express themselves – that’s been the message from day one.”

England 19-man squad: Williams (captain), Makinson, Hall, Welsby, Burgess, Thompson, Bateman, Radley, Young, Knowles, Lees, Cooper, Hill, Ackers, McMeeken, Sneyd, Batchelor, Oledzki, Pearce-Paul.