With less than two months to go until England kick off their 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign against Tonga in Perth, the race for a place on the plane to Australia is beginning to heat up.
As the Betfred Super League’s Final Charge continues to build momentum, several England hopefuls produced eye-catching performances in Round 25, giving head coach Brian McDermott plenty to consider ahead of the tournament.
Zach Eckersley moved closer to Maiko Sivo’s leading try-scoring tally on Thursday night, crossing twice in the Warriors’ big win against Hull KR. The youngster has now taken his tally to 26 tries from 24 appearances as he continues to impress in what has been an excellent season on the Wigan flank.
Eckersley’s Warriors teammate Jake Wardle will also be hoping to feature for England once again, and he strengthened his case with a try and an assist against Hull KR. The centre also ran for 121 metres from 14 carries in another strong all-round display.
The Rhinos picked up an important win away at St Helens on Friday night to edge one step closer to the League Leaders’ Shield, with captain Ash Handley making his mark from the centres. Handley scored and assisted a try while producing an impressive 164 metres with ball in hand.
Jake Connor was also among the standout performers, registering another three try assists to take his season total to a remarkable 42. The Rhinos playmaker will be hoping his creativity can earn him a place in McDermott’s World Cup squad.
Wakefield Trinity returned to winning ways on Saturday, with Mike McMeeken playing his part in the victory by providing a try assist. McMeeken has been a mainstay in the England set up in recent years, and will be determined to lock in his spot as the domestic season reaches its climax.
George Williams’ impressive form continued in Round 25, too. The England captain has only been back in action for four rounds and picked up three Player of the Match awards, with the latest coming on Saturday after producing a performance that helped guide the Wolves to another league victory.
Williams once again put in a huge shift in attack, carrying for 177 metres from 22 carries and setting up a try as he continues to lead from the front.
His Wolves teammate Matty Ashton was equally impressive, crossing for a try while racking up a huge 239 metres from 24 carries.
And the England Watch doesn’t stop at Super League. Over in the NRL, Herbie Farnworth was at his devastating best as the Dolphins secured a huge victory over fellow top-four contenders Sydney Roosters.
Farnworth scored an important try and carried for 198 metres from 23 runs as the Dolphins stunned the Roosters on their own turf — another timely reminder of the quality England will have available when the World Cup gets underway in Australia.
England kick-off their 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign in Perth on Saturday 17 October against Tonga. Follow their World Cup journey across England RL digital channels, YouTube and the Our League app.
