The first of three England v Tonga Test matches takes place tomorrow (Sunday) at St Helens (2.30 pm kick-off) and it promises to be the start of something big.
Generally speaking, we face a lot of competition right now for the hearts, minds and money of the sporting public, but this is the North West and it’s this region, plus Yorkshire and Cumbria, where we can reasonably claim to have a lion’s share of the sport’s supporters, writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
We – that’s Rugby League, the game – will be hoping for a sizeable crowd at the Totally Wicked Stadium where England boss Shaun Wayne will play a new-look but nevertheless exciting squad with Wigan’s Harry Smith probably getting the key pivotal role at half-back, forming a new 6 and 7 combination with Hull KR’s maverick young star Mikey Lewis,
The second Test will be at Huddersfield on Saturday, October 28 and the third at Headingley on Saturday, November 4, both at 2.30pm.
As far as tomorrow’s first Test is concerned, Tonga has strong links with both the venue and the town.
Tonga played two of their three group games in last year’s Rugby League World Cup at this stadium and their coach. Kristian Woolf is a hugely popular and well-known figure in St Helens, famous for its Rugby League team and its glass industry, because he was formerly head coach at St Helens where he enjoyed majestic success.
Indeed, some Saints fans may be shouting for Tonga, such is the connection between the town and the club with Tonga, who can play a brand of rugby when on top form that is typically from the Pacific — fast, furious, brilliantly exciting and free of fear.
As for their fans, who will ever forget the thousands of them who turned up in Auckland a year or two back, each carrying a bright red flag and turning the stadium into a sea of red, singing hymns and generally producing an atmosphere which many impartial observers described as the best they had ever experienced.
England know they will have to be at their best to erase the bitter memory of defeat by Samoa, a similar side to Tonga, in last year’s World Cup semi-final in London and a lot of responsibility will rest on the young shoulders of two of the youngest in the side – Harry Smith of Wigan Warriors at half-back and Jack Welsby of St Helens, a Wigan-born star, at full-back.
Smith comes in for the suspended super star George Williams and his link with off-the-cuff Lewis will need to be both structured and imaginary if the new halves are to steer England home.
They will certainly need the backing and support of ace Welsby, who will captain the side and thus become England’s youngest-ever leader. There will be some England fans who will regard that as a gamble, but Welsby is such a dedicated, talented and grounded young man that one feels he will more than live up to expectations on his home venue.
The Kristian Woolfe factor may come into play but I’m going for an England win with Smith, Lewis and Welsby playing key roles and striking a blow for the Young Ones.
Who was it who said: “If you’re good enough, you’re young enough.”?
Don’t know, but I suspect we’ll see the validity of the statement at a not-so-Totally Wicked Stadium!
