Adrian Morley has been appointed captain of England for the Four Nations rugby league series in Australia and New Zealand.

The veteran prop, who takes over the captaincy from the injured Jamie Peacock, is one of four players from Warrington but Huddersfield provide the biggest contingent with six, including uncapped quartet Shaun Lunt, Leroy Cudjoe, Luke Robinson and Darrell Griffin.

Robinson has been preferred to Warrington scrum half Richie Myler, who has paid the price for a loss of form towards the end of the season, while in-form three-quarter Leroy Cudjoe completes a fairytale season with a call-up.

Wigan have five players in the squad, including prop forward Stuart Fielden, who is rewarded with a recall after recapturing his form for the Warriors this season, and uncapped winger Darrell Goulding.

Fielden was rated the world's best forward when he completed a record STG450,000 ($A730,000) move from Bradford in the summer of 2006 and but drifted into the international wilderness after the Tri-Nations Series later that year.

Leeds' only representative is winger Ryan Hall, after skipper Kevin Sinfield joined Peacock and stand-off Danny McGuire on the injured list.

Sinfield, who started England's last two matches, has been ruled out with an Achilles problem which needs surgery.

St Helens scrum-half Kyle Eastmond is another injury absentee while Warrington centre Chris Bridge declared himself unavailable because his partner is due to give birth to their first child next month.

England head coach Steve McNamara said the choice of captaincy was an easy decision.

"It's sad for Jamie but Adrian is held in a huge amount of respect on both sides of the world," he said. "On my recent trip to Australia everybody all spoke very highly of him."

Morley, who has twice stepped in as captain in Peacock's absence, said: "It feels absolutely incredible.

"I've been lucky to captain Great Britain and England in one-off games but to lead a touring side is fantastic. It will be the highlight of my career without a doubt."

McNamara confirmed that Sinfield and Eastmond were late withdrawals through injury.

England will fly out to Auckland on Friday to prepare for a warm-up match against New Zealand Maori on Saturday week.

Their opening Four Nations game will be against the Kiwis in Wellington on Saturday, October 23.

ENGLAND squad

Backs: R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull), K Brown (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), D Goulding (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds), L Robinson (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan), M Shenton (Castleford), G Widdop (Melbourne).

Forwards: S Burgess (South Sydney), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Fielden (Wigan), J Graham (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington), S Lunt (Huddersfield), A Morley (Warrington, capt), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP