Bennett demands to be handed a major headache
ENGLAND head coach Wayne Bennett wants to have a few selection headaches following his team’s final Rugby LeagueWorld Cup group match against France.
England meet France in the double-header in Perth tomorrow and Bennett has rotated his team to give several players a chance, after the defeat to Australia in Melbourne their first game and victory over Lebanon in Sydney in their second game.
With Jonny Lomax and Sam Burgess injured, Gareth Widdop moves to fullback and former Giants skipper Kevin Brown starts in the halves – in a side that sees Giants wing star Jermaine McGillvary in action after being ruled not guilty of a biting offence against Lebanon.
Stefan Ratchford moves to the wing and Mark Percival starts in the centres, Scott Taylor and Mike McMeeken will also get their first game-time in the tournament.
“I wanted to give everybody an opportunity to play,” Bennett said.
“They get disheartened if they didn’t get an opportunity to play. I didn’t want to lose them, they’ve been good.
“We’re at a stage where we can do that – I’ve done it.
“Of course I want a selection headache.
“I want them to come out and play well.
“My line-up is all up for negotiation.”
Bennett is keen to see how St George lllawarra Dragons playmaker Widdop performs in the full-back berth, a position he hasn’t played for some time in the NRL.
“It’s an option I’ve got, I wanted to see what it’s like,” he said.
“I wanted to play Kevin Brown and George Williams, so it was a good opportunity to play Gareth at fullback.
“He was a fullback, he’s played a lot of his football there – so we’ll see how we go.”
If England defeat France they will face Papua New Guinea in the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
Australia are expected to claim first spot with a win over Lebanon, with England poised to finish second in Group A and the Cedars third.
Bennett’s instructions for his side are simple.
“I just want them to play well,” he said.
“If they do that it will cover a lot of the bases that we need to cover.