‘Doesn’t interest me’: Ex-Origin ace completes England defection as coach drops huge Ashes snub

Titans ace AJ Brimson has been named for England to face Australia in the Ashes Test series after switching international allegiance and is joined by a raft of fellow NRL stars — though coach Shaun Wane left out Man of Steel winner Jake Connor.

The versatile Brimson is in line to debut for England having represented Queensland four times in State of Origin and also Australia in the World Cup Nines. The Gold Coast star’s mother is English.

Leeds Rhinos half Connor put together a sterling season but was left trailing captain George Williams, Mikey Lewis and Harry Smith in the race for a nod, having last played Test football with Great Britain in 2019 and his only games for England in 2018. Wane said that Connor was in the mix for his World Cup squad, but his award win meant little.

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“I had a chat to him this week about his form and being available for the World Cup next year. He’s a great talent,” Wane told Sky Sports.

“Being the Man of Steel doesn’t interest me, I don’t look at the Man of Steel, I don’t pick somebody in the squad because they’ve won the Man of Steel. That’s for somebody else to worry about.

“I just look at his play. He’s a great talent and he’ll be good for next year.”

Some notable NRL inclusions are Morgan Smithies, after winning a minor premiership with Canberra, and Dom Young, having switched from the Roosters to the Knights mid-season.

They are joined by Dolphins star Herbie Farnworth, off the back of a hamstring injury that wrecked his stellar NRL campaign, Cowboys veteran John Bateman and Newcastle’s Kai Pearce-Paul.

Williams’ form will be closely watched, with the former Raiders halfback to return to the NRL in 2027 with the Dolphins.

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FULL ENGLAND SQUAD

John Bateman (North Queensland Cowboys)

AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)

Joe Burgess (Hull KR)

Daryl Clark (St Helens)

Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)

Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors)

Morgan Knowles (St Helens)

Matty Lees (St Helens)

Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)

Jez Litten (Hull KR)

Mike McMeeken (Wakefield Trinity)

Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)

Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos)

Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity)

Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights)

Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors)

Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders)

Owen Trout (Leigh Leopards)

Alex Walmsley (St Helens)

Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors)

Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos)

Jack Welsby (St Helens)

George Williams (Warrington Wolves)

Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)

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