Team information | |
---|---|
Nickname | The Knights |
Governing body | Rugby Football League |
Region | Europe |
Head coach | Paul Anderson |
Captain | TBA |
Most caps | Jodie Broughton (5) |
Top try-scorer | Jodie Broughton (6) |
Top point-scorer | Luke Gale (28) |
Team results | |
First international | |
Knights 38–18 France (15 October 2011) | |
Biggest win | |
Knights 62–4 Ireland (16 June 2012) |
England Knights is the feeder team for the England national rugby league team. The Knights play a key role in the development of emerging talent, allowing players to gain experience in an international environment and to compete for a place in the England first team.
The idea of a second England team originated in the 1990s as "Emerging England" to give young players a chance to play internationally before being called up to the senior side. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s Emerging England played against the senior sides of developing nations. In another incarnation as "England A", the team took on the Australian national rugby league team in the second game of the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. Australia defeated England A 26–22 in front of 6,817 fans.
England Knights were officially formed in 2011, eight years after England A played Australia. A squad of players under 25 were chosen play against France and where they came out 38–18 victors. The following year they competed in and won the 2012 European Championship and defeated Samoa in a 2013 test match.
The England Knights team was not utilised between 2014 and 2017.
In 2018 it was announced that the Knights would go on a two series tour of Papua New Guinea. [1] [2]
Opponent | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 88% |
Cumbria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Ireland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Papua New Guinea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Competition | Location | Attendance | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 October 2011 | England Knights | 38–18 | France | Friendly | 2,071 | ||
22 October 2011 | Cumbria | 12–26 | England Knights | Friendly | 1,163 | [3] | |
16 June 2012 | England Knights | 62–4 | Ireland | Friendly | 11,083 | ||
20 October 2012 | Ireland | 4–56 | England Knights | 2012 European Championship | Deramore Park, Belfast | [4] | |
28 October 2012 | Scotland | 24–62 | England Knights | Meggetland Stadium, Edinburgh | |||
19 October 2013 | England Knights | 52–16 | Samoa | Friendly | [5] | ||
27 October 2018 | Papua New Guinea | 12–16 | England Knights | 2018 Knights tour of Papua New Guinea | Lae, Papua New Guinea | ||
3 November 2018 | Papua New Guinea | 32–22 | England Knights | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | [6] | ||
20 October 2019 | England Knights | 38–6 | Jamaica | Friendly | Headingley Stadium, Leeds | 7,113 | [7] |
15 October 2021 | England Knights | 56–4 | Jamaica | Friendly | Wheldon Road, Castleford | 2,250 | [8] [9] |
1 October 2022 | France B | 6–18 | England Knights | Friendly | Bordeaux | [10] | |
9 October 2022 | Scotland | 4–28 | England Knights | Friendly | Edinburgh | [11] |
On 26 July 2022, a women's knights team was launched. The team is managed by Leeds Rhinos head coach Lois Forsell. [12] The team called up a performance squad to training camps in 2023 [13] and 2024. [14]
In 2019, an England reserve side called "England Lions" played Wales, losing 20–24, while the senior saide was on tour against Papua New Guinea. [15]
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea in the sport of rugby league football.
The 2013 Rugby League World Cup was the fourteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and took place in England, Wales, France and Ireland. between 26 October and 30 November 2013.
Oliver Holmes is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League.
Jack Hughes is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row and centre for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League and the England Knights at international level.
Sam Powell is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a scrum-half or hooker for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League and the England Knights at international level.
Tom Lineham, is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for York Knights in the RFL Championship.
Toby King is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Warrington Wolves. He has played for Ireland, England and the England Knights at international level. He made his England debut on 29 April 2023 in the 64-0 victory over France at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
Ashley Handley is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a winger and centre for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
Matt Whitley is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for St Helens in the Betfred Super League and the England Knights at international level.
Kruise Leeming is a rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for Wigan Warriors in the Super League.
Brad Fash is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a loose forward for Hull F.C. in the Super League.
Robert "Robbie" Mulhern is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League. Mulhern has represented Ireland, England and the England Knights at international level.
James Batchelor is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for Hull KR in the Super League and the England Knights at international level.
Harvey Livett is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward or centre for the Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Super League, and the England Knights at international level.
Tom Davies is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
Danny Walker is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League and both England and the England Knights at international level.
Mikołaj Olędzki is an England international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
Xavier Coates is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Edene Gebbie is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback and winger for Whitehaven in the Betfred Championship and Papua New Guinea at international level.
Edwin Ipape is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League and Papua New Guinea at international level.