England Captain Williams To Have Neck Surgery

The home play will extremity pinch nan Super League Grand Final connected Saturday, 3 October, pinch England's first lucifer of nan World Cup against Tonga successful Perth, Australia scheduled for 17 October.

Williams has been skipper of England since 2023.

Brian McDermott, speaking connected Thursday aft his assignment arsenic England caput coach, had said he "did not person immoderate intentions" to alteration captains anterior to nan World Cup.

Speaking earlier kick-off, Warrington caput coach Sam Burgess said: "George will astir apt spell for room astatine immoderate constituent successful nan adjacent week aliases two.

"It's unfortunate for George and nan club. There are a number of ways to look astatine it truthful we've decided to return nan affirmative route. Given nan quality of wherever nan wounded is, we're happy that we've sewage clasp of it.

"Hopefully he tin make a awesome betterment and we'll spot him backmost [in action] - if it's not this year, past hopefully adjacent year."