It may be an exaggeration to suggest the England rugby league team have a chance to restore pride in English rugby this autumn, but there is certainly an opportunity to put the stuttering international game on the map in the coming weeks.
After Stuart Lancaster’s men failed to get out of the group stages in union’s World Cup, Steve McNamara’s side take on New Zealand – the world’s No1 league side – in a three-Test series that has suddenly given rugby league a chance to instil a feelgood factor in English sport.
There have been countless failures from the country’s variety of national teams in recent years, but beating the Kiwis and laying down a marker before next year’s Four Nations would make this England team stand out from the pack. But before that series begins, England will take on France in a one-off Test on Saturday at Leigh.
The talk in England’s training camp at St George’s Park this week was that calling this match anything other than a Test – some have labelled it a warm-up for the Kiwis series – would be disrespectful to both the French and international rugby league, a part of the sport which needs as many high-profile and high-intensity games as possible.
And one man who will not be treating it as a friendly is the Leeds full-back Zak Hardaker, who will attempt to use injuries elsewhere and his own form to stake a claim for a place in the side for next Sunday’s first Test against the Kiwis at Hull.
Many feel Hardaker’s form in 2015, undoubtedly the best of his career, should see him get the nod ahead of the injured Sam Tomkins at full-back, but with Tomkins set to be fit for next weekend, Hardaker knows this is his one chance to impress. And having been in the England set-up for four years and earned only one cap, he is keen to show his worth.
“I’ve always been there or thereabouts in the squad, but it’s been a big learning curve for myself over the last four or five years,” Hardaker said. “I know what I can achieve and I’ve just been trying to get a foot in the door for a while now.
“This game represents an international cap and I’ve only got one of those at the moment, so to get another would be great. I’ve had a pretty good year so I feel I’ve given myself the best opportunity to stake a claim for a place.”
Should McNamara put Tomkins in at full-back against the Kiwis, Hardaker is likely to take a spot in the centres, but the 24-year-old backed the England coach to do what is right. “We’ll have to see what Steve goes with; I can play multiple positions and so can Sam, so it’s up to Steve to pick the team he thinks is right to win the game,” he said.
“New Zealand are a terrific team and we have to pick the best team available to beat them, but we’re confident.” McNamara will select the in-form Wigan youngster John Bateman at centre on Saturday, with Gareth Widdop and George Williams his preferred half-back pairing.
England from John Bateman, Joe Burgess, Tom Burgess, Mike Cooper, Leroy Cudjoe, Liam Farrell, Brett Ferres, James Graham, Ryan Hall, Zak Hardaker, Chris Hill, Josh Hodgson, Sean O’Loughlin, James Roby, Kallum Watkins, Ben Westwood, Elliott Whitehead, Gareth Widdop, George Williams.
France from Olivier Arnaud, Jean-Philippe Baile, William Barthau, John Boudebza, Julian Bousquet, Clément Boyer, Morgan Escaré, Tony Gigot, Benjamin Jullien, Mourad Kriouache, Kevin Larroyer, Rémy Marginet, Antoni Maria, Ugo Perez, Stanislas Robin, Florent Rouanet, Jordan Sigismeau, Mickaël Simon, Gadwin Springer.
Venue Leigh Sports Village KO 2pm today.
