THE Rugby League World Cup has been a chance for players to showcase their skill and talent on the international stage.
For some, it’s a case of putting themselves in the shop window with a potential deal lurking round the corner.
For others, however, it’s a chance to mix with players that they will most likely never have come across before.
One such player is former St Helens prop Luke Thompson who now plays for the Canterbury Bulldogs whose General Manager is Phil ‘Gus’ Gould.
From that, Gould has revealed conversations with Thompson and a number of the England squad, claiming that ‘several’ want to play in the NRL.
“Luke was very impressed with several of the UK squad, including Herbie,” Gould told the Daily Telegraph.
“Several have indicated they’d like to play in the NRL. There’s plenty of talent there.”
Over the years, the likes of George Williams, John Bateman, Elliott Whitehead and Thompson have tried their hand in Australia’s most prized competition.
And whilst two of those cut their stay in Australia short, English players have left a mark on the competition.
Thompson, for example, has been touted as a potential captain for the Bulldogs after impressing throughout 2022 with his leadership whilst Whitehead was also given the skipper’s armband in 2022.
It remains to be seen which England players would like to play in the NRL, but who wouldn’t want to test themselves against the world’s best week in, week out?
