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Alex Walmsley is determined to make the most of his unlikely England Remember and play a role in historic Ashes series win AustraliaKicking off at Wembley on Saturday.
The 35-year-old has not played international rugby since 2021 st helens The forward thought his chance was gone before a surprise chat with the England head coach sean wayne This led to his inclusion in the squad for the eagerly awaited three-match series.
Walmsley made his way into Wayne’s final 19-man squad on Thursday, with the head coach making another major decision to leave him out. Wigan Half-back Harry Smith – who has started every England match since the 2022 World Cup – was dropped in favor of Hull KR’s hero of the moment, Mickey Lewis.
Walmsley admitted, “To be honest, I felt my international career was well and truly complete and I think other people thought the same, judging by the reaction to the team’s announcement.”
“But now we are here and I want to make sure I make the most of the next few weeks and enjoy every minute in camp, make sure I enjoy what will probably be my last international campaign.”
Walmsley enjoyed another stellar season in the Saints front-row, missing only one regular season game and made his international debut at the 2017 World Cup, where he featured in a close final defeat to Australia, bringing a wealth of experience to Wynne’s relatively inexperienced team.
And Walmsley believes a Test series win over Australia for the first time since 1970 – with plans for further matches at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium and Headingley – could be the catalyst for change in the way rugby league is viewed in this country.
“I don’t think you can estimate how big this will be for our sport,” Walmsley said.
“In terms of infrastructure and finances, there is such a huge gap between what they have – their products, their finances and money, the enormity of their sport in Australia – and what we have that for us to do something that hasn’t been done for 55 years is a real attention-grabbing moment and a real opportunity to give our sport a silver bullet.
“We deserve to step up and go to the next level, we have such a fantastic product, so to come here down south where rugby union is a major sport, to give our game the opportunity to hopefully go to the next stage, that’s huge, and there’s a huge responsibility on the players to make sure we do that.”
Smith is one of five players – along with Leeds pair Harry Newman and Cullum Watkins, Rovers winger Joe Burgess and Canberra’s Morgan Smithies – who were dropped from Wynne’s squad on Thursday.
Wayne said: We have a fantastic squad and preparing it for the first Ashes Test match in 22 years has not been easy, but I am confident the players selected can challenge the Kangaroos this weekend.
“We have had two fantastic weeks in camp preparation and now we are closing in on an historic fixture under the Wembley arch.”