A defeat for England, but there were better fortunes elsewhere for Hull FC and Hull KR players.
England may have suffered disappointment on the international stage on Saturday, losing 26-6 to Australia in the first Ashes Test at Wembley, but there were better fortunes elsewhere for both Hull FC and Hull KR players over the weekend with representatives in the France, Wales, and Papua New Guinea line-ups.
Both Hull and Rovers had a player each in the starting side as France hammered Jamaica 36-0 to secure their place at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Australia, which will feature ten teams. Rovers’ Grand Final winning full-back, Arthur Mourgue, featured, kicking four goals, while new Hull signing Arthur Romano started at centre. The game was watched by over 6,000 in Albi.
On the Jamaica side was Jack Rampton, who spent the summer on trial at Hull FC. The winger played for the club’s reserves side and made his senior debut on loan at Hunslet in the Championship.
Elsewhere, young Hull hooker Denive Balmforth started at half-back as Wales defeated Ireland 24-0 in the first of a two-match series. Turning 22 at the start of the month, it was Balmforth’s international debut, with the Black and Whites’ dummy half set to earn his second cap against the same opposition at Featherstone this Saturday.
Over in the Southern Hemisphere, Hull KR back rower Rhyse Martin featured for Papua New Guinea in their 40-28 Pacific Championship win over the Cook Islands. Martin scored one try and kicked five goals in the victory. He was also sin-binned. Meanwhile, PNG meet Fiji next week, with the two nations also set to contest the final of League B the following week.
Elsewhere, Samoa hammered Tonga 34-6 in Brisbane this Sunday morning. The Samoans picked up their first victory since their famous World Cup semi-final win over England back in 2022. They are set to play New Zealand in the Pacific Championships final next month. Rovers half-back Tyrone May was named in the extended squad earlier this week but didn’t feature.
England face Australia in the second Ashes Test on Saturday, with Rovers duo Mikey Lewis and Jez Litten expected to be in the picture again.