Jones-Buchanan and Yeaman get call-up

Leeds Rhinos’ Jamie Jones-Buchanan is also drafted in along with Warrington Wolves pair Garreth Carvell and Ryan Atkins alongside, most excitingly of all, the exuberant young St Helens stand-off Jonny Lomax.

England coach Steve McNamara dropped five others from the 32-man squad – Hull KR duo Liam Watts and Peter Fox, Leeds’s Rob Burrow, Harlequins’ Tony Clubb and St Helens’ Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook – as he shows form is crucial in his thinking.

“We have a year-round ETS programme and this new group of players will form the nucleus of our international preparations over the next six months,” he said.

“Ryan Atkins, Garreth Carvell and Jamie Jones-Buchanan were all in the squad for the International Origin Match whilst the other two have been impressive for some time.

“Kirk Yeaman has been consistently good for most of this year and his challenge now is to improve his form to put himself in contention for the (Four Nations ) 24-man squad.

“At the start of the year Jonny wasn’t sure what his best position was but knows now and it shows. He’s a smashing young man.”