The final round of the regular Betfred Super League season served up plenty of drama and standout performances from England’s Rugby League World Cup hopefuls, with just over a month to go until their tournament gets underway in Perth.
Wigan Warriors cruised to victory in Round 27 to secure the League Leaders’ Shield and make it 15 consecutive league wins.
Zach Eckersley, Harry Smith and Brad O’Neill were all on the scoresheet for the Warriors, while Ethan Havard, Luke Thompson and Junior Nsemba all impressed on both sides of the ball with their tough carries and hard-nosed defence.
The Warriors’ England hopefuls now have a week off ahead of the Play-Off Semi-Finals, as they make a final push for a third piece of silverware this year and a place in Brian McDermott’s World Cup squad.
Tom Johnstone continued his impressive form with a double as Wakefield Trinity secured a big away win at Leigh on Frantic Friday, booking a home Eliminator against the Leopards next weekend.
Johnstone’s two tries took his regular season tally to 18 from just 16 games, with the winger continuing to strengthen his claim for a place on the plane to Australia as he looks to finish the domestic season on a high.
St Helens’ England contingent ended a difficult year on a positive note with victory over a youthful Hull KR side on Friday night.
Jack Welsby laid on a try and ran for 157 metres from an impressive 23 carries, while Harry Robertson also crossed for a try and carried for more than 100 metres at an average gain of 10 metres per carry.
Mikey Lewis also made a timely return from suspension in the clash at the Brewdog Stadium. The former Man of Steel will be desperate to make an impact in the Play-Offs as he looks to force his way into McDermott’s final England squad amid strong competition in the halves.
The NRL Finals Series also got underway over the weekend, with a couple England stars making their mark.
Dom Young inspired Newcastle Knights to a huge win over South Sydney Rabbitohs in their Eliminator clash. The winger scored a try, set up two more, made three line breaks and seven tackle busts, while running for an outstanding 211 metres from 18 carries.
Herbie Farnworth was similarly influential as the Dolphins booked their place in a Preliminary Final thanks to a massive away win in New Zealand. The English centre assisted two tries and scored one of his own, while making two line breaks and 11 tackle busts. Farnworth also ran for a huge 272 metres from 23 carries in a dominant display.
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.
