Wigan and England’s Sean O’Loughlin will miss the Great Britain Lions tour to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
The 36-year-old has been out for most of the 2019 Super League season because of a pectoral injury suffered in August and has been left out of the squad after talks with the GB coaching team.
The 24-man squad for the four-match tour will be announced on Monday.
Great Britain and England head coach Wayne Bennett said it was important “we agreed on an outcome”.
“Hopefully it will help him come back fresh next season,” Bennett added.
“He’s been an outstanding leader of the team on and off the field, with the ability to play in any position, and his combination of skill and toughness.”
The Lions play Tonga in New Zealand on 26 October, before two games against New Zealand and a match against PNG in November.
The Rugby Football League’s director of rugby Kevin Sinfield said the Warriors and England captain O’Loughlin has made an “outstanding contribution to the national team” over the past 15 years and has “led from the front”.
“He has been integral to the squad’s improvements and influenced so many, especially since we introduced the England Performance Unit after the 2017 World Cup,” Sinfield said.
“He has had a difficult year with injuries and he will be sorely missed in 2019 but his influence will remain.
“Both Wayne Bennett and Sean discussed and agreed that it was best for him to miss the tour this year.”
