GRACE BANKS is set to make her England debut after being named in Stuart Barrow’s 20-woman squad for Saturday’s international against Wales.
The 19-year-old fullback has enjoyed a breakthrough season to date, including a player-of-the-match performance in Wigan Warriors’ Challenge Cup final win over St Helens.
Banks also excelled in last weekend’s Origin fixture, effectively a trial for the England side, scoring two tries in Lancashire’s 50-6 win over Yorkshire.
Georgie Dagger, the reigning Woman of Steel and England’s fullback for the thrashing against Australia in Las Vegas in March, has not been selected in Barrow’s squad.
Banks is one of six Wigan players chosen, with team-mates Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter and Molly Jones also in line for international debuts.
The Leeds Rhinos trio of Lucy Murray, Ruby Bruce and Evie Cousins are in contention for first caps too, alongside St Helens’ Phoebe Hook.
Captain Jodie Cunningham has been named in the squad, despite being an injury doubt after sitting out the Origin clash at Sewell Group Craven Park with a hamstring issue.
But there is no place for her Saints team-mate Shona Hoyle, who captained Yorkshire at the weekend, or York’s Tamzin Renouf.
The fixture with Wales kicks-off at 5.30pm at The Lextan Knoll in Neath, with live coverage from S4C.
England boss Barrow said: “It’s been incredibly difficult to decide who will travel to face Wales this Saturday, especially after we have just played a really intense Origin fixture that pushed both sides to their limits.
“I think we have a strong squad going into the fixture and we’re looking forward to returning to Wales for the first time since 2022 as we continue our preparations for next year’s World Cup.
“We have some new names coming into the squad which reflects the form shown in Super League this year and it’s going to be really exciting for everyone involved welcoming them into camp.
“I’ll be looking to the senior internationals to help settle them in and show them what it means to be an England player.”
England squad: Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie), Grace Banks (Wigan Warriors), Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins (both Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Anna Davies, Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter (all Wigan Warriors), Phoebe Hook (St Helens), Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Lucy Murray, Izzy Northrop (both Leeds Rhinos), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens).