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Connor out, Lewis in as England name Rugby League World Cup squad

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Whalley, M. (2026, October 5). Connor out, Lewis in as England name Rugby League World Cup squad. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cmgj94zd59ljo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

BBC News · collected 2026-10-05 · by Mike Whalley

Quick Summary

England's Rugby League World Cup squad has been announced with Jake Connor missing out despite expectations that he would make the final cut. Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, who led the Super League in assists with 43 during the recent season, is replaced by Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis, who had a more inconsistent year but managed to secure his spot based on McDermott's evaluation. This decision follows controversy from last autumn when Connor was initially left out of the England squad for matches against Australia.
Written by AI on 2026-10-05, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Jake Connor was unexpectedly left out of the England Rugby League World Cup squad, with Mikey Lewis taking his place. Despite being named the 2025 Super League Man of Steel and providing a team-high 43 assists during the recent season, Connor's omission from the tournament comes as a disappointment following previous snubs. Coach Brian McDermott favored Lewis over Connor for the half-back position despite Connor’s strong performance. The final squad includes players like George Williams, captain of Warrington Wolves, and Harry Smith from Wigan Warriors, among others. This decision has sparked debate about selection criteria and reflects ongoing discussions on squad composition in the lead-up to the tournament.

Written for “Rugby League World Cup Squad Announce…” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Rugby League World Cup Squad Announce…
Sports · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted
2
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 2 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
68/100
BBC News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
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BBC News · 5017 article(s) · 6 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 6 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Mike Whalley
3 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Former Great Britain men's captain Paul Sculthorpe, retiring England women's skipper Jodie Cunningham and international great Adrian Morley will be among those helping to put together that plan.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · How England's rugby league bosses plan to avoid repeat of World Cup pain
🔮 Frayssinous made clear he would welcome the NRL's proposed investment in Super League.
2026-10-16 · assertive framing · NRL gap a factor in France's heavy defeat by Samoa, says boss
🔮 - Published Jake Connor has been left out of England's Rugby League World Cup squad, with Mikey Lewis beating him to a place. Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel, had been expected to make the final cut after being talked up by England head coach Brian McDermott and enjoying a strong domestic season. The 31-year-old provided more assists - 43 - than anyone else during the Super League campaign just completed. But Hull KR's Lewis, who endured an inconsistent season, has done enough to convince McDermott that he should join captain George Williams, the Warrington stand-off, and Wigan's Harry Smith as half-back options. For Connor, it is another England disappointment to follow his controversial omission from the squad for last autumn's home series against Australia. England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Max King (Bulldogs), Morgan Knowles (Dolphins), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Brad O'Neill (Wigan Warriors), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights) There has been much debate about which half-backs would make the England squad after McDermott said last month that he would probably take three to the World Cup, and that captain Williams - who is heading to Australia to join NRL club Dolphins after the tournament - would be one of them. But McDermott said in April, following his appointment as head coach, that the Leeds half-back was part of his World Cup plans.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Connor out, Lewis in as England name Rugby League World Cup squad
Also by Mike Whalley
How England's rugby league bosses plan to avoid repeat of World Cup pain
2026-11-01 · BBC News
NRL gap a factor in France's heavy defeat by Samoa, says boss
2026-10-16 · BBC News
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

Topics

Dolphins England Super League Warrington Wolves Wigan Warriors

Subjects

Wigan Warriors ORG · 7× England GPE · 5× McDermott PERSON · 4× Connor PERSON · 3× Dolphins ORG · 3× Warrington Wolves ORG · 3× Australia GPE · 2× George Williams PERSON · 2× Mikey Lewis PERSON · 2× Super League ORG · 2×

Narrative

- Published Jake Connor has been left out of England's Rugby League World Cup squad, with Mikey Lewis beating him to a place. Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel, had been expected to make the final cut after being talked up by England head coach Brian McDermott and enjoying a strong domestic season. The 31-year-old provided more assists - 43 - than anyone else during the Super League campaign just completed. But Hull KR's Lewis, who endured an inconsistent season, has done enough to convince McDermott that he should join captain George Williams, the Warrington stand-off, and Wigan's Harry Smith as half-back options. For Connor, it is another England disappointment to follow his controversial omission from the squad for last autumn's home series against Australia. England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Max King (Bulldogs), Morgan Knowles (Dolphins), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Brad O'Neill (Wigan Warriors), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights) There has been much debate about which half-backs would make the England squad after McDermott said last month that he would probably take three to the World Cup, and that captain Williams - who is heading to Australia to join NRL club Dolphins after the tournament - would be one of them. But McDermott said in April, following his appointment as head coach, that the Leeds half-back was part of his World Cup plans.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-05
🔮 - Published Jake Connor has been left out of England's Rugby League World Cup squad, with Mikey Lewis beating him to a place. Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel, had been expected to make the final cut after being talked up by England head coach Brian McDermott and enjoying a strong domestic season. The 31-year-old provided more assists - 43 - than anyone else during the Super League campaign just completed. But Hull KR's Lewis, who endured an inconsistent season, has done enough to convince McDermott that he should join captain George Williams, the Warrington stand-off, and Wigan's Harry Smith as half-back options. For Connor, it is another England disappointment to follow his controversial omission from the squad for last autumn's home series against Australia. England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Max King (Bulldogs), Morgan Knowles (Dolphins), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Brad O'Neill (Wigan Warriors), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights) There has been much debate about which half-backs would make the England squad after McDermott said last month that he would probably take three to the World Cup, and that captain Williams - who is heading to Australia to join NRL club Dolphins after the tournament - would be one of them. But McDermott said in April, following his appointment as head coach, that the Leeds half-back was part of his World Cup plans.
2026-10-05 · BBC News
Connor out, Lewis in as England name Rugby League World Cup squad · assertive framing

Claims (2 extracted, 0 hedged)

- Published Jake Connor has been left out of England's Rugby League World Cup squad, with Mikey Lewis beating him to a place. Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor, the 2025 Super League Man of Steel, had been expected to make the final cut after being talked up by England head coach Brian McDermott and enjoying a strong domestic season. The 31-year-old provided more assists - 43 - than anyone else during the Super League campaign just completed. But Hull KR's Lewis, who endured an inconsistent season, has done enough to convince McDermott that he should join captain George Williams, the Warrington stand-off, and Wigan's Harry Smith as half-back options. For Connor, it is another England disappointment to follow his controversial omission from the squad for last autumn's home series against Australia. England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Max King (Bulldogs), Morgan Knowles (Dolphins), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Brad O'Neill (Wigan Warriors), Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Hugo Savala (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights) There has been much debate about which half-backs would make the England squad after McDermott said last month that he would probably take three to the World Cup, and that captain Williams - who is heading to Australia to join NRL club Dolphins after the tournament - would be one of them. But McDermott said in April, following his appointment as head coach, that the Leeds half-back was part of his World Cup plans. asserted
back → publish → plans
McDermott, at the time, described Connor as a "game-breaker" and played down concerns over his temperament, saying: "I think the rhetoric and the narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair." asserted
rhetoric → describe → Jake
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