| Venue: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens Date: Sunday, 22 October Kick-off: 14:30 BST |
| Coverage: Live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer; live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app |
Tom Burgess has said representing England remains “a massive honour” and he “really values” playing for his country, a decade after his debut.
The prop, 31, is in the 19-man squad for Sunday’s first Test against Tonga.
Burgess has won 30 caps, all of them coming since he moved to Australia to join South Sydney Rabbitohs at the start of the 2013 NRL season.
“Every year, I look forward to the international fixtures,” Burgess told the BBC’s 5 Live Rugby League podcast.
“I’ve been really lucky to have been part of the team for 10 years now and I’ve always really valued playing for England.
“I’ve never thought ‘oh I can’t play this year’. This is the highest level for me, it’s a massive honour.”
Sunday’s game at St Helens is the first of a three-Test series between England and Tonga, with further matches to follow in Huddersfield (28 October) and Leeds (4 November).
The two sides have not met since an epic 2017 World Cup semi-final in Auckland, which England won 20-18.
Burgess added: “When it got announced that Tonga were coming to England for this series, I thought it was going to be a really good test – probably the best test we’ve had in a few years I think.
“I know a lot of the players, five of them play at Souths, so I know there’s some good players in that squad.
“They’re really serious about it, they’re creeping up the rankings and they’re not coming here for a holiday, so it’s going to be a really good test.”
‘Both sides need to bounce back’
Kevin Brown, who played for England in the 2017 World Cup final, said this series offers both sides a chance to “bounce back” from their World Cup disappointment.
Tonga lost narrowly at the quarter-final stage to Samoa, who then defeated hosts England in extra time to reach the final at Old Trafford.
“It’s going to be a battle and it will be a test for both countries,” said Brown.
“[Tonga] were ranked number two in the world before the World Cup. Like England, they were disappointed with how the World Cup finished. They were both contenders and wanted to win the World Cup. Both sides probably need to bounce back.
“This is the first time they [Tonga] have had a Test series in England so it’s history. Whoever wins this will start the history off in the right way for their nation.”
