England assistant coach Paul Wellens says Saturday’s mid-season international against the Combined Nations All Stars at Warrington will form a key part of Shaun Wane’s World Cup build-up.
But it won’t be the be-all and end-all when it comes to selection for this Autumn’s tournament, when the Three Lions aim to go one better than in 2017, when they were beaten 6-0 by Australia in the final in Brisbane.
“There are a number of spots still up for grabs,” said former St Helens fullback and now assistant coach Wellens, who made 20 appearances for Great Britain and eleven for England.
“Even come play-off time, there will still be places up for grabs.”
Talking on the Love Rugby League podcast, Wellens, one of two right-hand men to Wane alongside Castleford assistant coach Andy Last, explained: “When we are looking at England players and judging who should make the squad, we are judging on how they would perform in a World Cup Final at Old Trafford at the end of the year.
“Players should have that at the back of their minds. When Shaun is watching a game, he wants to see players showing that standard.”
Because of the pandemic, the forthcoming match is only the third since Wane, the former Wigan coach and now the Warriors’ leadership and management director, was appointed to lead the national team in succession to Wayne Bennett in February 2020.
His charges were beaten 26-24 by the Combined Nations All Stars, also at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, last June before a 30-10 win over France in Perpignan in October.
There is only one other England match, against Fiji at Rochdale on Friday, October 7, before the World Cup starts when they face Samoa at St James’ Park, Newcastle on Saturday, October 15. England then play France at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday 22 and Greece at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, on Saturday 29 as they attempt to qualify from Group A.
But Wellens, who was a member of the England coaching staff at the 2017 tournament, reckons things will be in place at the right time.
“We had the Test match against France at the back end of last year and I was struck when the players came into camp by the feeling around the group and their excitement about representing England on home soil,” he continued.
“There is a passion through the whole group about playing for England. How many opportunities do you get to represent your country on home soil in a World Cup? You grasp it with both hands and give everything.
“We haven’t had the contact with them that we would have liked from an international point of view.
“But I’m confident that when the World Cup comes around, there will be a connection straight away.”
