But Stuart says the experience Boyd has picked up with the Kangaroos squad at the Four Nations will be "invaluable" when he returns to Canberra ahead of the 2017 NRL season.

Boyd has been named as 18th man for the final round robin game and was on standby for Brisbane Broncos veteran Sam Thaiday, who was struggling with a knee injury.

The 24-year-old has played in both of the Kangaroos' Four Nations games so far after debuting against New Zealand in Perth before the Australian squad left for England.

He's looked right at home at international level, bringing the same power that was a trademark of his breakout season with the Raiders.

It has put him squarely in the conversation to make his State of Origin debut for the NSW Blues next year.

Stuart said Boyd was unlucky not get picked in the XVII to take on an England side that will include fellow Raiders Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead in London on Monday morning.

The Raiders coach felt Boyd had laid the foundation for fellow Kangaroos forwards David Klemmer and Thaiday to get metres from.

"He can consider himself very unlucky because he's been the form prop of the tour," Stuart said.

"Mal might be looking for experience, but he's been in wonderful form Shannon and he's done himself and the club proud.

"He's just played extremely well, he's played strong and tough. The last game I saw Shannon play last week he was setting up the platform.

"His speed at the play of the ball was creating a great ruck for Thaiday and Klemmer to bounce off.

"I know Klemmer and Thaiday got a lot of good metres and credit for their attacking run and it's all come off the back of Shannon's play the ball."

Boyd will return from England as one of a growing group of Raiders representatives.

The only reason Raiders second-rower Josh Papalii isn't part of the Kangaroos squad is the ankle injury he sustained during the NRL finals.

They also have Hodgson and Whitehead with the Poms, as well as Joe Tapine and Jordan Rapana with the New Zealand side.

Tapine made his international debut in the Kiwis' 18-all draw with Scotland in Workington on Saturday.

Stuart said Boyd would come back a different player.

"The experience he's gained with Mal now is invaluable. You can't get it unless you're there playing in those Tests," he said.

"He'll come back a really confident young man now. He'll have to come back and act and train like an international and I know he's going to do that, it's certainly within his abilities."

Kangaroos prop Matt Scott predicted a physical encounter, with England needing to win to make the Four Nations final in Liverpool next weekend.

He's up against an imposing pack that includes Sam Burgess and James Graham.

"It's going to be physical and it going to be a real test for both packs," he said.

"I think they'll be a lot better than they were against Scotland but it's definitely a match both sides will have been looking forward to." with AAP

FOUR NATIONS

Monday: Australia v England in London, 1am. Live on Gem.

Kangaroos squad: 1. Darius Boyd, 2. Valentine Holmes, 3. Greg Inglis, 4. Josh Dugan, 5. Blake Ferguson, 6. Johnathan Thurston, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Matt Scott, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Aaron Woods, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Trent Merrin. Interchange: 14. David Klemmer, 15. Michael Morgan, 16. Tyson Frizell, 17. Sam Thaiday, 18. Shannon Boyd, 19. Justin O'Neill.

England squad: John Bateman, Kevin Brown, George Burgess, Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess, Daryl Clark, Mike Cooper, Luke Gale, James Graham, Ryan Hall, Chris Hill, Josh Hodgson, Jonny Lomax, Jermaine McGillvary, Mark Percival, Kallum Watkins, Elliott Whitehead, Gareth Widdop, George Williams.