Nine Wigan stars in frame for Four Nations as RFL reveals England's 31

By PA Sport

Image: New England head coach Wayne Bennett

Wigan have nine players in the reckoning for the 2016 Four Nations Series, the Rugby Football League has confirmed.

They were among a group of 31 specially selected to attend last week's get-together with new England head coach Wayne Bennett during his whistle-stop trip to the UK.

Bennett, who has succeeded Steve McNamara as national coach on a two-year contract, took advantage of a bye for his club Brisbane Broncos in the NRL to step up his preparations for the end-of-season internationals.

During his seven-day visit, Bennett took in Super League games at Huddersfield, Widnes and Warrington, met the staff with whom he will be working during the Four Nations and visited the facilities England plan to use during the tournament.

Image: St Helens' Alex Walmsley was amongst Bennett's 31

Bennett refused all requests for media interviews during his trip but the RFL has released the names of the players invited to his get-together in Leeds.

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They include all the England-based players involved in last year's Test Series triumph over New Zealand while among the uncapped players were the St Helens quartet of Alex Walmsley, Mark Percival, Kyle Amor and Joe Greenwood.

Super League leaders Hull had just two players involved, scrum-half Mark Sneyd and prop Scott Taylor, while second rower Stevie Ward, who has yet to play this year because of injury, was one of six players from bottom-of-the-table Leeds.

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The tournament will be played in England in October and November and will be contested by Australia, England, New Zealand and Scotland.

The England squad for the get-together was: A Walmsley, R Roby, M Percival, K Amor, J Greenwood (all St Helens), B Currie, B Westwood, C Hill, D Clark, S Ratchford (all Warrington), B Ferres, Z Hardaker, K Watkins, R Hall, T Briscoe, S Ward (all Leeds),  J Bateman, D Sarginson, L Farrell, D Manfredi, S O'Loughlin, M Smith, J Tomkins, S Tomkins, G Williams (all Wigan), J McGilvary, L Cudjoe (both Huddersfield), Kevin Brown (Widnes), Luke Gale (Castleford), M Sneyd, S Taylor (both Hull).

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