Leeds Rhinos’ Ash Handley earns England call as Shaun Wane not afraid to make changes

The new head coach took over in February but, with the best will in the world and obviously through no fault of his own, has still yet to take charge of a training session let alone a Test.

Who knows when England will even play next? Given Covid’s current hold, the main hope is that they do simply get to take to the field for the start of the 2021 World Cup against Samoa in Newcastle on October 23.

Nevertheless, it is only right that Wane names those players who are in his thoughts and – perhaps more importantly – those that, for now at least, no longer are.

He made some new selections yesterday with deserved call-ups for prolific Leeds Rhinos winger Ash Handley and Warrington Wolves’ improving Huddersfield-born centre Toby King.

Hopefully, they will all come together for a first physical face-to-face meeting in the not too distant future.

It was some of Wane’s omissions, though, that caught the eye with prop Chris Hill – the 29-cap Warrington captain who has been a mainstay of the England squad since debuting in 2012 – the most high profile.

Second-row Jack Hughes, who, like Hill, played for Great Britain last autumn, was also dropped along with a third Warrington player, the winger Josh Charnley.

Uncapped Castleford Tigers front-row Liam Watts, who battled so hard to earn his place in Wane’s initial selections in March, is left out, probably a casualty of his club’s alarming form since the season resumed after lockdown in August.

Hull forward Scott Taylor and Josh Jones also lose their places but both have suffered badly with injury and Covid respectively while Wakefield Trinity centre Reece Lyne is the other, pipped by the in-form King.

Wane said: “I’ve always said I would pick players on form, and I think it’s important to show that.

“We’ve seen some fantastic rugby since the season restarted in August, and I thought last Friday’s game between St Helens and Wigan was the best yet.

“Toby King and Ash Handley have been two of the lads who have really impressed me with their performances and consistency, so it’s right that they are recognised for that, and they know they are in the group I’ll be contacting regularly until we can get together properly.

“Some other players have fallen below the standard of performance I need from my England players, so again it’s right that they have been told that, as things stand, I don’t regard them as part of the group.

“But they know the door isn’t closed – it’s up to them how they respond.”

Handley, 24, is Super League’s top scorer with 14 having taken his tally for the season in all competitions to 20 with Sunday’s brace against Wakefield when he also captained his hometown club for the first time.

It was a big surprise when the impressive Dream Team wideman was not named in Wane’s original selection or even for England Knights but, having helped Leeds win the Challenge Cup, Handley is now rewarded.

England squad: Clark, Cooper, Currie, Philbin, Ratchford, King (all Warrington Wolves), Evalds, Sarginson, Watkins (all Salford), Farrell, Gildart, Hardaker, Manfredi, Bateman (all Wigan Warriors), Gale, Newman, Handley (all Leeds Rhinos), Griffin (Hull FC), Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity), Lomax, Makinson, Percival, Roby, Walmsley, Knowles (all St Helens), McShane (Castleford Tigers), McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants), S Tomkins (Catalans Dragons), Thompson (Canterbury), Farnworth (Brisbane), Williams, Whitehead, Hodgson, Sutton (Canberra), Burgess (South Sydney).