Liam Marshall Poised for Full England Debut Following Dom Young Injury

The ABK International Series will feature a double header at AMT Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday, 2 November. The women’s match between England and Wales kicks off at 12:00 GMT, with live coverage on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. The men’s match, England versus Samoa, begins at 14:30 GMT, broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with live radio and text commentary also available on the BBC Sport website and app. Wigan Warriors winger Liam Marshall, 28, is set to make his full England debut after being named in the matchday squad for the second Test against Samoa this Saturday at Headingley. Marshall, who was Super League’s leading try-scorer last season and helped Wigan achieve an unprecedented quadruple, replaces Sydney Roosters player Dom Young. Young sustained a hand injury during England’s 34-18 victory over the Pacific islanders last Sunday. In other squad changes, Wigan team-mate Luke Thompson returns from suspension, taking the place of Huddersfield Giants prop Tom Burgess. Junior Nsemba, another uncapped player selected for the series, is also part of the 19-man group. Head coach Shaun Wane commented on the squad adjustments, stating, “I’ve had to make a few changes to my 19 from last weekend’s victory and that is why having a strong squad is so important. I’m confident with the lads I have had to bring in. Our goal was always to win this series 2-0 and we have put ourselves in the position to achieve that on Saturday. We know Samoa will be better but so will we.” Marshall, who scored 27 Super League tries last season, previously played for England in a warm-up game against Fiji for the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, but that match was not granted full international status. Following the initial Test, Wane had cautioned his players that their performance would not have been sufficient against world champions Australia. While he has slightly adjusted his assessment after reviewing the game, he maintains that his team must elevate their performance for Saturday’s fixture, which is part of an international double header, preceding the England women’s match against Wales at 12:00 GMT. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Wane explained his revised perspective: “In the heat of the moment, it’s very hard to see a lot of detail, but now I’ve watched it back, I’m happy. We played better than I thought. But I do think honestly that we need to improve again. They’ve got smart coaches and they’re going to put us under a lot of pressure. They’re going to see places where we’re going to be weak and we just need to improve.” The England matchday squad selected to face Samoa includes: Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves), John Bateman (Wests Tigers), Daryl Clark (St Helens), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Liam Marshall (Wigan Warriors), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors), Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves). Wane expressed his appreciation for the physicality demonstrated by both teams in last Sunday’s match. He noted that Samoa’s traditional war dance, the Siva Tau, and England’s pre-kick-off stare-down of their opponents established the atmosphere for an intense contest. The high intensity from both sides eventually led to a late scuffle involving almost all 26 players on the field. However, Wane dismissed any suggestions that he would need to caution his players regarding their on-field discipline. He stated, “We were trying to show them respect for the Siva Tau, and I think we did that. There was no message going on from me. I loved it. I thought we showed respect. It’s a Test match. You know what I mean? Rugby league’s a tough game. And that’s the way it was. I thought there was nobody in this country who wouldn’t have enjoyed that. And I’m sure it’ll be the same again on Saturday.” Leeds centre Harry Newman echoed Wane’s sentiments, remarking, “I’m sure come this weekend it’ll be all guns blazing. Stepping up to that Test match level, the game’s just a bit more physical. You’re obviously playing with a lot of pride, representing your country, representing your family, and all the other English lads who play rugby over here. We won’t back down. It’s not in our nature. We’re English. We never back down. Obviously, there are some big boys in their team. But we’ve got some as well. It’s an exciting prospect and I’m sure it’ll get feisty.”