He didn't look too bad against Ireland but in general across his AWs career he has looked a shadow of his Nix RB self. I'd be quite happy if he showed the same sort of consistency in a white shirt, let's hope he can.
I have a suspicion that Rojas won't be in this window's squad, he was asked earlier this week in an interview about the national team, he stated his ambition to try and make the 26 WC if he could, and said that he hoped that process could start in June. June has nothing to do with WC qualifying, so why not mention the games this month? He'd surely have known by the time of the interview whether he was in the squad or not.
I have a suspicion that Rojas won't be in this window's squad, he was asked earlier this week in an interview about the national team, he stated his ambition to try and make the 26 WC if he could, and said that he hoped that process could start in June. June has nothing to do with WC qualifying, so why not mention the games this month? He'd surely have known by the time of the interview whether he was in the squad or not.
Maybe Rojas made himself unavailable to Bazeley for the UAE, as he just wants to concentrate on the ALM, given his club future beyond this season is uncertain. Or Baze didn't pick him as he feels this time, he has enough wingers. Likely means Mata and/or Greive are retained, which given the big question mark over Wood, I guess is understandable.
And yeah it wouldn't surprise if a few Euro/MLS guys bypass June's Nations Cup, so the squad then may have more a ALM and/or U23s flavour.
And with Payne, I'd say his AWs career has pretty much married his up & down Nix career. And of course with the AWs he is most often coming up against higher calibre opponents, compared to the ALM. But he's now settled with the Nix as a specialist RB (no more switching between that role & CB), and he has a real opportunity to make that role his own in the National team heading into the 2026 WC.