JONNY Lomax has been drafted back into the England 17 for Saturday's World Cup final in Brisbane after injury ruled out skipper Sean O'Loughlin.

The versatile Saints full back or half, who due to a calf strain has not featured since the opening pool game against Australia, will come on to the bench.

England assistant coach Denis Betts said: "He's got loads of versatility and a little bit of X-factor.

"There is that quality in him to be able to slot into a lot of different positions and it's down to the trust he's gained in the group from how he's trained and how he played in the first game."

Sam Burgess will lead England and take the number 13 role with Ben Currie slotting into the second row.

Burgess captained England in O'Loughlin's absence in the 2016 Four Nations Series and will step in once more after the Wigan loose forward failed to recover from a quad tear in last Saturday's semi-final against Tonga.

"It's not nice for him," said England assistant coach Denis Betts. "He obviously wants to be involved in this game as captain of the team.

"We have to move on.

"Sam led the side last year in the Four Nations, he's a doer, he's a leader, he's captain of his club.

"It's always been that natural progression that, if something happened to Lockers, that Sam would take that role on."

Lomax will join Saints teammates James Roby and Alex Walmsley in the final, and former skipper James Graham.

England: G Widdop (St George Illawarra); J McGillvary (Huddersfield), K Watkins (Leeds), J Bateman (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds); K Brown (Warrington), L Gale (Castleford); C Hill (Warrington), J Roby (St Helens), J Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs), B Currie (Warrington), E Whitehead (Canberra), S Burgess (South Sydney, capt).

Subs: Heighington (Cronulla), J Lomax (St Helens), A. Walmsley (St Helens), T. Burgess (South Sydney)..

Australia: B Slater (Melbourne); D Gagai (Newcastle), W Chambers (Melbourne), J Dugan (St George Illawarra), V Holmes (Cronula); M Morgan (North Queensland), C Cronk (Melbourne); A Woods (Wests Tigers), C Smith (Melbourne, capt), D Klemmer (Canterbury Bulldogs), B Cordner (Sydney Roosters), M Gillett (Brisbane), J McGuire (Brisbane).

Subs: W Graham (Cronulla), J McLean (Melbourne), R Campbell-Gillard (Penrith), T Frizell (St George Illawarra).

Referee: G Sutton (Australia).