England head coach Brian McDermott has confirmed his selection for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup clash against France, officially sticking with an unchanged 19-man squad. The decision indicates that the boss is standing firm with his current personnel, opting against any sweeping adjustments as the English team prepares for their upcoming international fixture.
The retention of the exact same 19-player group comes directly after a difficult tournament opener against Tonga. In that initial Rugby League World Cup match, England were thrashed 30-12, suffering a heavy defeat that challenged the squad early in the competition. Despite conceding 30 points and scoring only 12 in that opening contest, McDermott has chosen not to alter the collective unit.
A notable element of the team announcement is the continued omission of Lewis, who is absent again from the squad list. Rather than turning to Lewis to freshen up the team following the decisive reversal against Tonga, McDermott has opted to back the very same group that took part in the first match of the tournament.
Looking ahead to Saturday's contest against France, the England squad faces a vital opportunity to move past the opening 30-12 defeat. By leaving the 19-man roster completely intact, McDermott is placing the responsibility squarely on the players who experienced the loss to Tonga to step up and deliver when they take the field against their French opponents.