NO LIONS CALL FOR HANDLEY
Leeds Rhinos winger not named in GB squad despite 10,000 mile dash
HAVING made a 10,000 mile dash from the UK, it seems Leeds Rhinos winger Ash Handley will watch Saturday’s Test match against Papua New Guinea from the sidelines.
Handley was called up seven days ago following a spate of injuries among Great Britain Lions’ backs and arrived in Brisbane at the weekend, before travelling to Papua New Guinea yesterday.
However, he was not included when coach Wayne Bennett named his initial 21-man squad for Saturday’s game in Port Moresby, the final match of what has so far been a dismal tour.
The Lions were training in Papua New Guinea for the first time today and Bennett will trim his squad to 19 on Friday after a team run at the Oil Search Stadium.
Castleford Tigers’ young halfback JakeTrueman – who was a member of the original squad, but has not featured in any of the three games so far – is the penultimate name in the initial 21.
The first 17 names are the players involved in last Saturday’s defeat by New Zealand, which suggests Trueman could again miss out, but speaking after that game Bennett said he would make changes to ensure everyone in the original squad got a game on tour.
Zak Hardaker, who missed the game in Christchurch due to a shoulder injury, has been included in the initial 21.
Last week’s unused reserves Joe Philbin and George Williams, who is also waiting for his first Lions appearance, are also in contention.
Handley’s omission indicates Blake Austin, a specialist standoff, will continue on the left wing with his Warrington Wolves team-mate Jack Hughes, who usually plays in the second-row, at centre.
Bennett is also coach of England, who face an Ashes series at home to Australia next year before being host nation at the 2021 World Cup.
Following three defeats on the GB tour so far, the Rugby Football League are under growing pressure to appoint a new team boss when his contract expires after this weekend’s match.
While a win on Saturday would probably make little difference to that decision, it would at least salvage something from what has been a frustrating and gloomy four weeks for the revived Lions.
Assistant coach Ian Watson, who steered Salford Red Devils to last month’s Super League Grand Final, admitted travelling home without a victory would be unthinkable.
“We need to get a win,” said
Watson. “We felt we improved in the first game against New Zealand, from the Tonga game, but last week we probably took a bit of a step back and we didn’t execute as well as we wanted to.
“We didn’t put our game plan into action. We are trying to fix a few things up this week in training and take that forward into the game come Saturday.”
Watson said the Lions are concentrating on their own game, rather than what Papua New Guinea might offer.
“It is important we fix up what we did last week,” he stressed.
“I think we need to focus on ourselves, not be looking at Papua New Guinea just yet.
“We need to make sure we are right going into the game.”
But the Kumuls, captained by Leeds’s Rhyse Martin who scored a try and four goals, were pipped 22-20 by Fiji in Christchurch last Saturday and Watson insisted nobody in the Lions’ camp is taking them lightly.
He said: “Papua New Guinea played really well against Fiji, they played with a lot of passion and worked hard for each other.
“We have to be at our best, physically and mentally.
It is important we fix up what we did last week.
Ian Watson, GB assistant coach, reflects on a disappointing tour for the Lions.
“They will test us, the heat will test us. It is something different from what we’ve been used to.
“Papua New Guinea have some really good players in there who we need to be aware of and we are looking forward to the challenge that brings.”
Great Britain second-rower Elliot Whitehead believes pride is on the line this weekend.
“We have been disappointing and we’ve probably let ourselves down,” admitted the Canberra Raiders and former Bradford Bulls forward.
“We have one more game to play and hopefully we can get that win.
“We have a lot to fix up, but I am sure we are capable of doing that.”
The Lions received a rapturous welcome when they arrived in Port Moresby yesterday and Whitehead said that has provided extra motivation.
He added: “We have got a good squad and hopefully we can put a good performance in for the locals.
“They deserve to have some good rugby games here and hopefully we put a good performance in and they are all cheering.
“It is their national game here and we want to put a good performance in for them.
“Them showing their support by coming to the airport really buzzed us up a little bit and we have got a bit of energy going into this week now.”