England coach Tony Smith has stayed with most of the team that started against France in June for his first game against Papua New Guinea. the new faces are Leeds back Lee Smith and Wigan forward Gareth Hock, Smith has pipped his former Rhinos team-mate Mark Calderwood for the vacant left-wing berth and Hock is handed the second-row spot made vacant by the injured Sam Burgess. The only other change to the side that beat France 56-8 is St Helens prop James Graham starting a first Test after five replacement appearances. Graham, the recently-crowned Man of Steel, keeps out veteran front-rower Adrian Morley.
Teams
England: Wellens, Gardner, Gleeson, Senior, Smith, Pryce, Burrow; Graham, Roby, Peacock, Ellis, Hock, Sinfield.
Replacements: Morley, Fa’asavalu, Wilkin, McGuire.
Papau New Guinea: Wilshere; Kepa, Parker, Maori, Moore, Griffin, Peters; Aizue, Aiton, Exton, Costigan, Nightingale, Gene. Subs (three to be omitted): Pora, Moni, Chan, Wabo, Kolo, Kui, Yere.