LIAM MARSHALL is hungry to finally earn a full England cap, two years after first playing for his country.
The winger is one of two uncapped players named in Shaun Wane’s 24-man squad for the two-match series against Samoa.
Wigan team-mate Junior Nsemba is the other, with both looking to make their bows on home territory at The Brick Community Stadium this Sunday.
It won’t be Marshall’s first appearance in England colours, however, having appeared off the bench in England’s non-cap warm-up clash with Fiji ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
The 28-year-old told League Express: “I wouldn’t say it was my full England debut. It was just a good experience.
“It was a really enjoyable week to test myself at that international level and be around some of those lads.
“A couple of us were included in that Fiji week and told to keep ready in case they needed us as the World Cup went on, which was easy enough, being a home World Cup and training in the off-season.
“It was a really good experience, I got to mix with the best of the best in the country. Once you get a taste of it, you want more.”
Marshall is competing for the wing spots with Dom Young, who starred at the 2022 World Cup but missed last year’s series against Tonga through illness, and Matty Ashton, who scored three tries in as many England games in 2023.
“It’s an honour to even be named in the performance squad with the names in there and the quality lads in my position. It’ll be a tough choice for Shaun,” added Marshall.
“I’ve worked with Shaun in the past and I know what he expects.
“He was head coach at Wigan when I first came through and I think his views of rugby have developed, but what he expects from players, his non-negotiables, haven’t really changed.
“Most people know he’s tough and that’s what he expects from his players on the field.
“The conversations we were having when I was 18 will be the same conversations we’re having now. I know what I need to do and what he expects.”
Marshall’s club coach, Matt Peet, recently posited that his five-foot-ten stature was a drawback in his case for international selection.
“Matt Peet is right, but for me it’s not a massive disadvantage,” said Wane.
“He makes up with the way he carries the ball. His finishing is fantastic but the way he carries the ball off his own line is fearless, so it more than makes up for his lack of height.”
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