Tierney delighted at taking Scotland form into club displays

HAVING made his international debut against the best in his sport during the Four Nations Championship at the end of 2016, Lewis Tierney has picked up where he left off in helping register a momentous result as a new season gets under way.

The 21-year-old was part of the Scotland team that improved steadily during that tournament in the autumn which concluded with an unlikely result in rugby league Test history when they drew with world number one ranked New Zealand.

That followed on from helping his club, Wigan Warriors win Super League’s Grand Final at the end of the club season which entitled them to play in the decisive match in this season’s World Club Championship against Cronulla Sharks where their 22-6 win at the DW Stadium on Sunday was the first British success for five years.

This time last year Tierney, whose father Jason Robinson scored the winning try when Wigan beat Brisbane Broncos to win the 1994 World Club Challenge, had played just five matches for the club, but the way he has taken his opportunities since was demonstrated against the Sharks as he played throughout the 80 minutes.

“It was a good defensive performance from us,” said Tierney, who was born in Wigan but qualifies for Scotland via his grandmother, Dorothy, who grew up in Kirkintilloch.

“I was confident that we were going to win it all the way through pre-season and training.”

With his Irvine-born Scotland teammate Matty Russell’s Warrington Wolves beating Brisbane Broncos in one of the accompanying exhibition matches in what is a World Cup year, the performances of the Super League sides offer cause for confidence for the European nations.

“It has been a little bit embarrassing for British sides in the last couple of years because we have not won it but the wins this year will show just how good Super League is so I am happy for Warrington as well,” Tierney said.