My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.

As the 2015 Super League season ratchets up to a, hopefully, spectacular conclusion with two mouth-watering semi-finals followed by the grand final Saturday, my thoughts have turned to the upcoming England against New Zealand Test series that will be played over consecutive weekends in November.

The Kiwis are now the number one world-ranked Test nation following three consecutive wins over Australia. They are the current Four Nations champions.

However, they have been hit with a raft of withdrawals of major players due to injury headed by Golden Boot winner Shaun Johnson, and all-time leading try scorer Manu Vatuvei, experienced hooker/half Thomas Leuluai and prop forward Jared Waerea-Haergreaves.

Johnson’s half back partner Kieran Foran has joined that list this week and will miss the tour because of an elbow ligament injury.

Even with these great players missing, I still expect it to be a hugely competitive Test Series as the Kiwis strength in depth is greater than it has ever been.

Competitors like Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Simon Mannering will not want to relinquish their hard-earned no.1 status too easily.

Therefore, England will have to be at their best to win this series and take out the Baskerville Shield.

Head Coach Steve McNamara will be selecting a squad of 23 players and is already without the services of centre Dan Sarginson, who had a brilliant Four Nations tournament last year, and prop forward George Burgess – both of whom would have been likely to be in the starting 13.

McNamara still has a lot of quality players to select from and I found it difficult to come up with the right squad variation to get the players in place that will be needed to win this series.

The New Zealanders will be big in the forwards and our pack will need to more than match them and we will also need to be highly skilled in the backs.

Here is my squad for the Test Series – followed by my first choice 17 to start the series:

Fullbacks
We are blessed to have two high quality full backs and it is easy to select Sam Tomkins and Zak Hardaker.

Tomkins has had an injury hit 2015 but is still a high quality player, while Hardaker has been in the form of his life.

To add to the options of the squad Tomkins can also play in the halves and Hardaker in the three quarters. I think England need to have both of these players in their starting 13 to win this series.

Wingers
We have top quality wingers in abundance. Ryan Hall has not had the greatest year of his career but he is a shoe in on the left wing spot. His experience and ability to score tries from nothing is a must have and I cannot see an England side without him in it.

Jermaine McGillvary is another player in the form of his life and is Super League’s leading try scorer. He should have done enough to earn a place in the squad and will also be joined by Joe Burgess.

Burgess overcame a shaky start to the season to once again become a regular try scorer for the Warriors and he and McGillvary earned selection for the Super League Dream Team.

My main query here was how many wingers do you pick in a 23-man squad for a three-match series? I have gone with just the three mentioned and that means big name players like Tom Briscoe and Josh Charnley miss out.

Centres
As much as Hall is a shoe in on the wing, his Leeds Rhinos teammate Kallum Watkins is also certain to fill one of the centre spots.

I think the injured Dan Sarginson would definitely have been selected alongside Castleford Tigers captain Michael Shenton. As with the wingers I have selected just three centres and my third selection is St. Helens three-quarter Jordan Turner. Turner is big and strong and has pace and an eye for the try line.

Brisbane Broncos grand finalist Jack Reed has had a good season in the NRL but I am more than happy with the above selections.

Five-eighth
Incumbent Gareth Widdop has had an excellent season for St. George Illawarra Dragons and will keep his place as long as he is injury free.

I have also selected Warrington Wolves Stefan Ratchford as he can also cover fullback, centre and loose forward. He had a strong season in a struggling Wolves outfit.

Young Wigan halfback George Williams was not far away from this squad but, like his coach Shaun Wane, I think it is a little too early for him and he is better off having an off season with a full pre-season. Kevin Brown can also consider himself to be incredibly unlucky.

Halfback
I am torn here between the organisational ability of Matty Smith and the more dynamic play of Castleford Tigers Luke Gale – the winner of the rugby league Express Albert Goldthorpe Medal.

Do we need two halfbacks in a squad of just 23 when we went into last year’s Four Nations tournament with just one?

It’s a tough one – but to give us an extra forward in the squad I have selected Gale only as I believe he will offer the team more in attack and is a better player than Smith.

Props
The big boys up front will need to be at full tilt and George Burgess is a big loss. However, we have strength in the front row like no other position.

James Graham, Chris Hill and Tom Burgess are certain selections and I would definitely select St. Helens prop Alex Walmsley to come from the bench and provide impact.

The fifth prop is likely to be the Dragons Mike Cooper who has had another strong year in the NRL. Hull FC prop Liam Watts will just miss out.

Hooker
The hooking position is another area where we have a number of options. James

Roby missed last season’s Four Nations through injury but is a certainty for this squad. Last year’s Man of Steel Daryl Clark has had a poor first season at Warrington Wolves and I would not select him for the squad.

Instead I would select Josh Hodgson as the back-up hooker. His performances in the NRL for the Canberra Raiders have drawn great praise in Australia and I believe he deserves to keep hold of his squad place.

Wigan’s Michael McIlorum will also be in contention but in my mind he give’s away too many penalties and Issac Luke would seriously try to wind him up. Plus Roby and Hodgson are all round better players.

Second row
Elliott Whitehead was severely underused in last year’s Four Nations competition and has had another very good year for Catalans Dragons and fully deserves to retain his place in the squad. Liam Farrell has again been a model of consistency for Wigan Warriors and I think two young guns also deserve to be selected.

Warrington’s Ben Currie has had a great year. He is a class act with strength, power and pace and can also play centre if needed to as can Wigan Warrior’s John Batmeman. Bateman has been described as freak by Shaun Wane. He is the ultimate competitor and does not give an inch.

I am hoping McNamara does not make the same mistake as last year and pick Joel Tomkins on reputation only – he does not deserve a place. The experience of Ben Westwood makes him a contender but I think his time as an international has come to an end.

Lock
Sean O’Loughlin is the team captain and a certain starter. After missing three months early in the season O’Loughlin has played consistently to his usual high standard. He needs to be on top form to provide the leadership, aggression and skill that England will need to win this series.

My full squad is as follows:
Sam Tomkins, Zak Hardaker, Ryan Hall, Jermain McGilivary, Joe Burgess, Kallum Watkins, Michael Shenton, Jordan Turner, Gareth Widdop, Stefan Rathford, Luke Gale, James Graham, Chris Hill, Tom Burgess, Alex Walmsley, Mike Cooper, James Roby, Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, Liam Farrell, Ben Currie, John
Bateman, Sean O’Loughlin.

My 17 for the First Test would be:
Fullback: Sam Tomkins
Wingers: Ryan Hall and Jermaine Mcgillvary
Centres: Kallum Watkins and Zak Hardaker
Five-eighth: Gareth Widdop
Halfback: Luke Gale
Props: James Graham And Chris Hill
Hooker: James Roby
Second Rows: Elliott Whitehead and Liam Farrell
Lock: Sean O’Loughlin (Captain)
Substitutes: Alex Walmsley, Tom Burgess, Josh Hodgson, Ben Currie

I have dropped six players from the 2014 Four Nations squad – Josh Charnley, Daryl Clark, Brett Ferres, Joel Tomkins, Matt Smith and Joe Westerman and two players are out injured – Dan Sarginson and George Burgess.

Seven new players come into the squad – Jermaine McGillivary, Jordan Turner, Luke Gale, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, John Bateman and Ben Currie.

But what do I know – I just find it fun to have a look at the squad and open a debate.

Feel free to criticise or make your own selections.