Samoa v England: Wayne Bennett raises eyebrows with selections

Castleford Tigers Mike McMeeken. Picture: Nick Potts/PA

Although there is a welcome call-up for uncapped Mike McMeeken, Super League’s form second-row, his Castleford Tigers colleague Zak Hardaker has been named at centre despite thrilling the competition from his customary full-back position this term.

Yet St Helens centre Mark Percival does not even make the 17-man squad and nor does his club-mate Alex Walmsley, the Dewsbury-born prop hoping for a debut given his brilliant league displays.

Warrington Wolves’ Stefan Ratchford, only called into the 20-man party that flew out last Saturday after a late injury to St George Illawarra’s Gareth Widdop, actually starts at full-back.

Furthermore, Bennett has opted to give a debut to Australian-born Chris McQueen, the Gold Coast Titans second-row, who starts on the bench.

Like McQueen, Chris Heighington, the 34-year-old Cronulla Sharks back-row who last played for England in 2011 and is also a replacement, qualifies via an English-born parent.

Their inclusion has irritated many who feel, despite John Bateman and Ben Currie being injured, there are still better forwards both actually in the camp – Hull FC prop Scott Taylor does not feature – and back at home.

However, Bennett claims the duo are in the leading 20 players in the NRL.

England's head coach Wayne Bennett. Picture: Adam Davy/PA

“We’ve got some injuries back in England to two or three players and this is an opportunity for these two guys,” he said.

“They’re certainly in the category of being in the top 20 players here and both are in really good form in the NRL, so let’s see what they bring.

“They’ll have no problem gelling with the team; there’s a team of good blokes here.”

Former Huddersfield Giants captain Kevin Brown, the Warrington stand-off who was also got a late call-up to the squad following an injury to Wigan’s George Williams last Saturday, will partner Castleford’s Luke Gale in the halves.

England: Ratchford (Warrington); McGillvary (Huddersfield), Watkins (Leeds), Hardaker (Castleford), Hall (Leeds); Brown (Warrington), Gale (Castleford); S Burgess (South Sydney) Hodgson (Canberra), Graham (Canterbury), Whitehead (Canberra), McMeeken (Castleford), O’Loughlin (Wigan). Substitutes: Hill (Warrington), McQueen (Gold Coast), Heighington (Cronulla), T Burgess (Souths).