I don’t care what the critics say, I’ve earned the right to be here

McGILLVARY DEFENDS ENGLAND SPOT BUT ADMITS OTHERS ARE UNLUCKY

JERMAINE McGILLVARY has passionately defended his England call-up for Saturday’s Denver Test with New Zealand – despite admitting others are in better form.

Huddersfield winger McGillvary was the star of Wayne Bennett’s side’s run to the World Cup final last year, scoring seven tries in six games (above).

But this season has been disrupted by knee and ankle injuries, leading former Great Britain international Garry Schofield (right, with Aussie legend Steve Renouf) and others to question his latest call-up.

McGillvary, 30, told Mirror Sport: “Everyone is a coach and a manager, I am with the England football team.

“But when people have a shot at me and say I’m not deserving of a place, I am deserving and I’ve earned the right to be here.

“This season I’ve had my injuries and haven’t set Super League alight and I understand that.

“But I’ve done my apprenticeship, I went to a World Cup and did well, even though as a team we didn’t win it. We fell short but that doesn’t mean that the players in that team weren’t deserving of getting picked.

“I had it last season when Greg Eden was scoring all his tries for Castleford and people were saying he should have played ahead of me. He could have done.

“Before the World Cup I probably had more stick with people saying I didn’t deserve my spot.

“But I showed that I’m capable of performing – I think Wayne knows that and that’s why he’s called me up.” McGillvary says his unconventional road to the top of the sport gives him added determination to hold on to his England shirt.

He said: “To get the chance to play for my country means everything to me and my family, from where I’ve come from. “I never dreamed of being a rugby player – I didn’t want to be one, I quit rugby because I was getting bashed about a lot as a kid.

“I quit rugby to play football and chill out with my mates. I never thought I could make a career out of it. So now I’m going to Australia, France and America to play for the national team.

“No one’s seen the struggle I’ve been through and all the sacrifices I made.

“I’ve done the hard yards, I’ve worked on the building sites, been on the dole and come training with the first team on no money.

“Now I’m excited to experience a different culture and it should be amazing on Saturday.”

Hull FC utility back Jake Connor will make his England debut in Denver, with Bennett finalising his team at 10am today.