Test match uncertainty is another England own goal

AS it stands, England remain in the dark over whether they will play another fixture between today's final Ashes Test and next year's World Cup down under.

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(Shaun Wane (PA))

"I've heard nothing," head coach Shaun Wane said regarding a potential mid-season Test, a fixture scrapped in 2025 that has left England unsure about their 2026 campaign.

With Super League preparing to expand to a 14-team competition next year, the chances of a window opening for an international Test appear slim.

England were restricted to only off-feet sessions ahead of this year's Ashes and only trained on-field together less than two weeks ahead of the first Test. The result: two defeats to Australia, with the Kangaroos sealing the series with a game to spare.