Bateman is dreaming of being captain
JOHN Bateman says he would be ‘buzzing’ to captain England as coach Shaun Wane prepares to announce a replacement for Sam Tomkins.
The Wigan second rower was among the candidates to succeed the retired Sean O’Loughlin at the start of the year but lost out to Tomkins for the mid-season game against the Combined Nations All Stars.
Tomkins is now ruled out of Saturday’s Test match against France in Perpignan through injury and Wane plans to announce his new skipper at training today.
“He’s not said anything yet,” Bateman said after yesterday’s session at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium. “He likes to keep his cards close to his chest. As long as I’m playing, I’m not too fussed.
“If he said it, though, 100 per cent I’d be buzzing. You dream about it but you don’t think it’s going to come true. It’d be alright for a lad from Bradford, wouldn’t it?”
St Helens stand-off Jonny Lomax is thought to be the other player in the running to lead the team out at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
France will announce their captain tomorrow when coach Laurent Frayssinous finalises his team.
Former Catalans Dragons stand-off Tony Gigot, now with Toulouse, is thought to be favourite to land the role with Ben Garcia, Julian Bousquet and Theo Fages all ruled out through injury.
One player hoping to win his first cap on Saturday is Leeds hooker and former Huddersfield Giants player Kruise Leeming, who impressed Wane after helping the All Stars to a 26-24 win over England at Warrington in June.
“It was always in my plan to play that game in front of the eyes of Shaun Wane and the selectors and to put myself in the shop window for the end of the year,” he said.
The All Stars replaced the old Exiles concept and, following its reintroduction this year, is set to be retained for 2022, which would be welcomed by Leeming.
“It was good playing for the All Stars, a different experience representing my heritage from Swaziland,” he said.
“It was a little bit different, the different cultures we had in that camp - it was a lot more laid back.”