McGuire gets the call to replace Lomax

St Helens half-back Jonny Lomax has been ruled out of England’s Gillette Four Nations squad on medical grounds.

The 21-year-old, who was named in England coach Steve McNamara’s 24-man squad on Monday, tore ankle ligaments in last Saturday’s Super League Grand Final defeat by Leeds and will require surgery.

Leeds stand-off Danny McGuire has been called up as a replacement and will report with the rest of the players when England go into camp at Loughborough University today.

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The addition of McGuire, who finished the season strongly after missing the opening two months with a knee injury, takes the number of Rhinos players in the squad to eight.

The 28-year-old was a member of England’s World Cup squad in 2008 and played in the 2009 Four Nations Series.

Lomax’s withdrawal leaves McNamara without a specialist scrum-half, although both McGuire and Castleford’s New Zealand-born Man of Steel Rangi Chase have experience of the position and will be vying for the No 7 jersey.

England have a warm-up match against France in Avignon on Friday week before starting their Four Nations campaign against Wales at Leigh on Saturday, October 29.

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New Zealand have five players making their Test debuts against Australia in Sunday’s one-off international at Newcastle, the teams’ last outing before kicking off the Four Nations Series in Warrington.

New Zealand Warriors full-back Kevin Locke will make his bow, alongside club-mate Russell Packer, North Queensland winger Kalifa Faifai Loa and Brisbane duo Gerard Beale and Alex Glenn.

“It’s exciting for our future that we’re in a position to give these five young players their Test debuts,” said coach Stephen Kearney.

“They have all put in the work to earn the opportunity. With their inclusion we certainly have a young side but we still have a core group of experienced players around them.”

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Warrington official Phil Bentham will make his Test debut when he takes charge of Sunday’s game in New South Wales.

Hull have continued to ring the changes under new owner Adam Pearson, with chief executive James Rule ending his seven-year stay at the KC Stadium.

Hull KR legend Stanley Gene is returning to Craven Park to coach the club’s under-18s team.

Wigan have confirmed the appointment of former player Shaun Wane as their new head coach.

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