JOSH Charnley is poised to return to the England fold, 12 months since returning from rugby union.

The Wire winger, who won eight England caps as a Wigan player from 2012-14 and played in the 2013 World Cup, is set to be included in Wayne Bennett's updated 30-man elite performance squad (EPS) which will be announced later today.

Charnley enjoyed a phenomenal scoring record for Wigan, claiming 162 tries in 171 appearances from 2010-16, but the tries dried up during a 14-month spell with Premiership club Sale Sharks.

He was signed by The Wire last March and has rediscovered his scoring touch with 31 tries in 34 appearances so far, including seven in as many games in 2019.

On his return to the 13-man code last March, Charnley made no secret of his intention to impress national coach Bennett.

"If I get a call off Wayne to say I've been added it would be a bonus," he said at the time.

"My goal is to get picked for England again, there is no better moment than playing for your country, but I just really want to do well for Warrington."

After guiding England to a Test series win over New Zealand last autumn, Bennett is now turning his thoughts to taking the re-formed Great Britain team on a Lions tour Down Under at the end of 2019.

The Lions will play two matches against the Kiwis and one-off Tests against Tonga in Auckland and Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.

A wing vacancy has arisen because of the season-ending knee injury sustained by Wakefield's Tom Johnstone and, although he could keep his place in the EPS, Charnley will be eyeing a place on the Lions tour as well as a spot in the England squad for the inaugural World 9s in Sydney in October.

Bennett may also consider a replacement for Castleford scrum-half Luke Gale, who is unlikely to play this year after rupturing his Achilles in pre-season, while John Bateman and Ryan Hall automatically drop out of the Super League-based squad after moving to the NRL.