Debutants Jake Connor And Tommy Makinson Named In England Squad

England head coach Wayne Bennett has named debutants Jake Connor and Tommy Makinson in his team to face New Zealand but there is no place for Luke Thompson.

With Wigan half-back George Williams already ruled out of Saturday's historic Test match in Denver with a knee injury, uncapped St Helens prop Thompson is the Daftar Judi Bola Terpercaya only fit member of Bennett's 19-man squad to miss out.

Connor has been rewarded for his outstanding form for injury-hit Hull, while fellow utility back Makinson is in after helping Saints establish a six-point lead at the top of Super League.

Jake Connor

.@jakeconnor will earn his first England cap in Saturday's Test in Denver!

📲 Find out the 17-man squad first EXCLUSIVELY on the Our League Members site & app from 10am Wednesday pic.twitter.com/a2mWKwg0Y4

- England Rugby League (@England_RL) June 19, 2018 "Their form is good in the UK and that's half the battle - playing well at the right time of the year, and they are playing well," said Bennett.

"It'll be a different contest to what they're used to but they look like they're well equipped to handle it."

The side to face the Kiwis at the Mile High Stadium includes 12 survivors from the team beaten by Australia in the World Cup final in December.

Captain Sean O'Loughlin returns having missed the Brisbane showpiece through injury, while front-rower James Graham will win his 40th England cap.

📝🇺🇸 TEAM ANNOUNCED

Wayne Bennett has named his team to face @NZRL_Kiwis in Denver on Saturday

READ ➡️ website #DenverTest pic.twitter.com/fJgMvDqM4D

- England Rugby League (@England_RL) June 20, 2018 Hull prop Scott Taylor - a late call-up as a replacement for George Burgess - has been given a chance to impress after being selected ahead of Thompson.

"Scott's been in the squad since I've been coach but he hasn't played enough Test matches so he's going to get an opportunity to show us what he can do this week," said Bennett.

The loss of Williams leaves England without three of their half-back options used in the World Cup.

Warrington's Kevin Brown has retired and his partner for the final, Castleford's reigning Man of Steel Luke Gale, is sidelined with a broken kneecap.

Heathrow ✈️ Denver Vlog!

📲 Check out more from our journey on the #OURLEAGUE members site & app now! pic.twitter.com/dbDRpsNsl7

- England Rugby League (@England_RL) June 18, 2018 It means Bennett is almost certain to select Gareth Widdop and Jonny Lomax as his half-backs and Stefan Ratchford at full-back, with Connor and Makinson battling for one of the centre spots.

Bennett is excited to help showcase rugby league in Colorado in the one-off Test.

"It's important and the players think it's important," he said. "We wouldn't have come otherwise and fought as hard as we did to get it on; certainly the clubs weren't keen about it, most of the clubs weren't.

"We believe it's important and we're all pleased to be here. There is going to be a World Cup here in 2025 so it's important that we start to play a lot more football over here so the Americans understand what rugby league is and how it's played."

England squad to face New Zealand: John Bateman, Sam Burgess, Thomas Burgess, Jake Connor, James Graham, Ryan Hall, Chris Hill, Jonny Lomax, Tommy Makinson, Jermaine McGillvary, Sean O'Loughlin (captain), Mark Percival, Stefan Ratchford, James Roby, Scott Taylor, Elliott Whitehead, Gareth Widdop.

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