England vs Samoa: Liam Marshall must wait for first cap as Shaun Wane names matchday squad

Uncapped England winger Liam Marshall has missed out on a place in the 19-man matchday squad for Sunday’s first Test against Samoa.

Marshall, 28, finished the domestic season as Super League’s leading try-scorer – with 27 – and helped Wigan complete a quadruple.

But he is one of five players in head coach Shaun Wane’s 24-man squad for the two-Test series who will not feature this weekend.

Warrington’s Danny Walker, Huddersfield’s Chris Hill and Canberra Raiders’ Morgan Smithies will also sit out the match, as will Wigan’s Luke Thompson, who is suspended.

Marshall’s Wigan club-mate Junior Nsemba, the other uncapped player called up by Wane for the series, has made the matchday squad.

Nsemba, 20, was named Super League’s Young Player of the Year earlier this month.

Wane said: “I’ve had to make some difficult decisions selecting my squad for this weekend as we have real competition for places and everyone across the 24-man squad can make a strong case to be involved.

“I’m really happy with how we’ll line-up on Sunday and I’m confident in the players I have picked to rise to what will be a tough challenge against Samoa.”

Dom Young is one of five NRL players in the matchday squad, and will make his first England appearance since the World Cup semi-final defeat by Samoa two years ago, as will Herbie Farnworth and Kai Pearce-Paul.

Young missed last autumn’s home Test series against Tonga because of a serious sinus virus that spread and left him in hospital.