Roche back as England call up Bell and Foubister
Georgia Roche is set to make her first England appearance in 16 months after being named in a squad to face Australia that also includes uncapped pair Jas Bell and Jenna Foubister.
Newcastle Knights half-back Roche, 24, missed her country's two Tests in 2024 because of club commitments in Australia.
England will play Australia on 1 March (02:00 GMT 2 March) as part of a programme of four rugby league matches being staged at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
There will also be a men's Super League match between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves and two NRL fixtures - Canberra Raiders facing New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
Prop Bell, 26, is called up to the 20-strong squad for the trip to Las Vegas after helping York Valkyrie retain the Women's Super League title with a Grand Final win over St Helens in October.
Foubister, 18, is one of two Wigan players in the party, along with Anna Davies, who scored five tries when England recorded their biggest-ever win last November, beating Wales 82-0 at Headingley.
Georgie Dagger, another member of York's Grand Final-winning side, returns to the set-up.
The 27-year-old, formerly known as Georgie Hetherington, missed the win over Wales as it was the day she married her partner Will Dagger, who plays in the men's Championship for York Knights.
Head coach Stu Barrow has cut 11 players from the 31-strong training squad he named in November.
Among the players to miss out are Huddersfield full-back Amelia Brown, who scored a hat-trick of tries on her debut against Wales in November, former England captain Emily Rudge and Wigan teenager Isabel Rowe, who made her first two international appearances last year.
Barrow said: "It's been a really difficult selection process because there is a lot of talent within the group, which means there are some very good players who will unfortunately miss out.
"Now we have to focus on the challenge that lies ahead which is a historic fixture against the world champions for the first time since 2017 and I'm very much looking forward to getting the group together for our final camp next weekend."
Opponents Australia have been thrown into turmoil in the build-up to the match, with head coach Brad Donald resigning on Friday.
Donald, who had been in charge since 2016 and led the Jillaroos to two World Cup final victories, is reportedly being investigated by the NRL after allegations he made a disparaging comment about a journalist in front of players.
Jess Skinner, who was Donald's assistant, will take interim charge of Australia for the Test in Las Vegas.
England squad: Jas Bell (York Valkyrie), Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Georgie Dagger (York Valkyrie), Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors), Hollie-Mae Dodd (Canberra Raiders), Jenna Foubister (Wigan Warriors), Amy Hardcastle (St Helens), Zoe Harris (St Helens), Shona Hoyle (St Helens), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Izzy Northrop (Leeds Rhinos), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Tamzin Renouf (York Valkyrie), Georgia Roche (Newcastle Knights), Erin Stott (St Helens), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Paige Travis (Parramatta Eels), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie)
England since last World Cup
29 April 2023: France, W64-0 (Warrington)
4 November 2023: Wales, W60-0 (Headingley)
29 June 2024: France, W42-0 (Toulouse)
2 November 2024: Wales, W82-0 (Headingley)
Who plays in Vegas?
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas: All times GMT
Super League: Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves (21:30, 1 March)
NRL: Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors (00:00, 2 March)
Test Match: Australia v England (02:00, 2 March)
NRL: Penrith Panthers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (04:30, 2 March)
