Nick Scruton will be free to face Crusaders on Sunday after missing out on an England spot.

The Bulls prop missed the cut when Steve McNamara named his match-day 17 for Saturday's Test against France earlier today.

A member of the initial 19-man squad for the game, Scruton has trained with England all week and will act as 18th man for the game at Leigh Sports Village.

It means he will be clear to join the Bulls on their trip to Wrexham the following day, easing a potential prop shortage.

McNamara said: "He's done fantastically well to get from where he was as a bench player at Leeds to first choice at Bradford to the fringes of the England team.

"We have a lot of talent in the front row and we've decided to go with something different this time. His challenge now is to take what he has learned from this week and keep developing.

"His progression has been over a short period of time, he's enjoyed this week and I'm sure he will show me why he shouldn't have been left out in the Crusaders game on Sunday.

"Nick has always thrown himself into every challenge he faces. He doesn't hold back, and that's why he got here in the first place."

England team to face France: Gareth Widdop (Melbourne Storm); Tom Briscoe (Hull FC), Chris Bridge (Warrington Wolves), Michael Shenton (Castleford Tigers), Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos); Kevin Brown (Huddersfield Giants), Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors); James Graham (St Helens), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos), Jamie Peacock (Leeds Rhinos), Gareth Ellis (West Tigers), Sam Burgess (South Sydney), Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan Warriors). Interchange: James Roby (St Helens), Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves), Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves), Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors).