FORMER York City Knights star Joe Batchelor has not been named in England’s 19-man squad to face Samoa.

England will kick off their World Cup campaign on Saturday at St James’ Park in Newcastle against Samoa (2.30pm).

Batchelor, who is part of the World Cup squad and scored his first England try against Fiji last week in a comfortable 50-0 win, is absent from the side.

Second-rowers Elliott Whitehead, Morgan Knowles, Mike McMeeken and Kai Pearce-Paul have been named in the team.

Batchelor, who has signed a new three-year contract at current club St Helens, made 54 appearances for the Knights during his time at the club and was part of the side that won the Betfred League One title in 2018.

The back rower scored 41 tries for the team before moving to St Helens in 2019. His Saints teammates Tommy Makinson, Jack Welsby, Knowles and Matty Lees have been named in the squad for the Samoa game.

England squad: Tomkins, Makinson, Watkins, Farnworth, Welsby, Williams, Burgess, McIlorum, Thompson, Whitehead, Radley, Young, Knowles, Lees, Cooper, Hill, McMeeken, Sneyd, Pearce-Paul