England call up Nsemba and Marshall for Samoa series

Junior Nsemba and Liam Marshall helped Wigan win the Challenge Cup in June

Uncapped Wigan pair Junior Nsemba and Liam Marshall have been named in a 31-man England training squad for the two-match autumn Test series against Samoa.

Nsemba, 20, is the youngest member of head coach Shaun Wane's squad.

The second-row forward, whose uncle is former Liverpool and Cameroon footballer Rigobert Song, earned a call-up after an impressive season with Challenge Cup winners Wigan.

Winger Marshall, 28, is the leading try scorer in Super League this season, with 22 in total.

England face Samoa at Wigan's Brick Community Stadium on Sunday, 27 October and at AMT Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, 2 November (both 14:30 GMT), with the BBC showing both matches live.

Dom Young, one of six NRL players in the squad, is in line to make his first England appearance in nearly two years.

The Sydney Roosters winger, part of the side beaten by Samoa in their Rugby League World Cup semi-final in November 2022, missed last autumn's Test series against Tonga because of a virus.

He revealed at the time that, having flown back to England for the series, he ended up in hospital in Leeds when the sinus infection spread to his brain. He made a full recovery.

Young, as with all of England's Australia-based players, sat out June's 40-8 mid-season victory over France in Toulouse because of club commitments.

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England squad: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), John Bateman (Warrington Wolves), Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Daryl Clark (St Helens), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Tyler Dupree (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), James Harrison (Warrington Wolves), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Chris Hill (Huddersfield Giants), Tom Johnstone (Catalans Dragons), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons), Elliot Minchella (Hull KR), Robbie Mulhern (Leigh Leopards), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves), Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Sydney Roosters).

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Young's Roosters team-mate Victor Radley has made the squad despite concerns over a shoulder problem, with the NRL contingent completed by Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth, Newcastle Knights' Kai Pearce-Paul, South Sydney prop Tom Burgess and Canberra Raiders loose forward Morgan Smithies.

John Bateman, who joined Warrington on loan from NRL side Wests Tigers in July, is also included.

Wane said: "There have been several players who have been performing consistently in both the Betfred Super League and the NRL and it has given me some real competition for places.

"With a few weeks still left in both domestic campaigns, I am expecting these players to continue to stand up at the business end of the season and earn their place in the final squad I assemble to face Samoa."

St Helens' Tommy Makinson, who had been included in Wane's squad, has withdrawn for personal reasons.

The selected players will meet for an off-field session on Monday, 16 September.