DAD’S SUCH A GREAT FEELING
RUGBY LEAGUE Kev’s try thrills son
KEV BROWN impressed new England boss Wayne Bennett in a try-scoring return from the wilderness.
But there was one person who reduced half-back Brown to tears of joy with the reaction to his performance.
Wife Kirsty videoed four-year-old son Harry squealing with delight at seeing his dad on TV in an England shirt and sent it to Brown straight after the game.
That made his long fight to end six years as an England outcast well worth the wait, said Brown.
Proud
The Widnes star added: “I am a happy man seeing my little lad watching me play for England.
“It is a real proud moment for me because he has never seen me play for my country and it was one of my goals to do that.
“To see him happy watching his dad play for England is something I will take with me for ever.”
Brown had failed to get a look-in at international level Yp ALC@< JKFKK under previous boss Steve McNamara, since winning three caps in 2010.
But Bennett handed him a 30-minute spell off the bench in this Four Nations warm-up in Avignon and Brown grabbed his first try for his country.
The player, who now hopes to feature against New Zealand on Saturday, admits all the players are revelling in learning from arguably the game’s greatest-ever coach.
He said: “I am like a sponge and hanging on to every word.” Bennett handed five players their debuts, but also shocked young St Helens full-back Jonny Lomax by replacing him with Stefan Ratchford in the first half.
Lomax said: “I was worried, but at half-time Wayne told me I was going back on. He said he wanted to see us both at full-back.”
France, who are in England’s World Cup group next year, started strongly but England hit back, with Ryan Hall’s double taking his try tally to 28 in 28 games.
Daryl Clark, Tom Burgess, Jermaine McGillvary and Gareth Widdop also touched down, with Widdop kicking six goals.