SECOND row Emily Rudge will be joined by five Saints teammates when she leads England Women for their groundbreaking Test against Papua New Guinea Orchids in Goroka tomorrow (4am GMT).

Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands province, best-known in Rugby League as the birthplace of the former Hull and Hull KR favourite Stanley Gene, and the squad were overwhelmed by the warmth of the welcome they received on arrival earlier this week, following a training camp in Brisbane.

Rudge said: “We were heading into the unknown when we found out we were coming to Goroka, but we’ve had an amazing welcome.

“The people of Goroka have been so friendly, welcoming and supportive of us when we’ve been out to the local hospitals and schools and I’m hopeful they’ll all turn out in force to witness a great game between ourselves and the Orchids.

“It is going to be an historic Test with it being the first Women’s international outside of Port Moresby and for Women’s sport to be given this sort of platform in a rural area of Papua New Guinea is truly ground-breaking.”

Rudge will be joined in the side by five of her St Helens team-mates – including Faye Gaskin and Jodie Cunningham, who will form a new half-back pairing with Castleford’s Georgia Roche to be introduced from the interchange bench.

The second Test will be played at Port Moresby’s Oil Search Stadium next Saturday (November 17), ahead of the men’s Test between Great Britain and the PNG Kumuls – and the RFL hopes to be able to confirm live coverage on Our League next week.

England team: 1. Tara-Jane Stanley (Castleford). 2. Rebecca Greenfield (Wigan) 3.Rachel Thompson (Wigan ) 4. Naomi Williams (St Helens) 5. Kelsey Gentles (Castleford) 6. Jodie Cunningham (St Helens) 7. Faye Gaskin (St Helens) 8. Amy Johnson (Leeds,) 9. Tara Jones (St Helens) 10. Grace Field (Castleford), 11. Emily Rudge (St Helens, captain), 12. Chantelle Crowl (St Helens), 13. Shannon Lacey (Leeds), 14. Dannielle Anderson (Leeds), 15. Tamzin Renouf (Castleford), 16. Charlotte Booth (Leeds), 17. Georgia Roche (Castleford), 18. Sinead Peach (Castleford).