GREECE’D LIGHTNING!
Four-try Dom’s a force of nature but Wane thunders: No one’s place safe
MARC SNEYD masterminded a sensational 17-try rout as England stormed into the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Dom Young scored four first-half tries to put Greece on the skids. But Sneyd (left, with fellow scorer Makinson) said the hosts might have been too ruthless for their own good!
The deadly standoff, who scored a try and kicked 13 goals, said: “We tried to
play a certain way, with one eye on next week – but it was quite hard to do.
“We were racking up points on such a regular basis that it was hard to get some practise in for next week.”
England pulverised the part-timers from Greece, with 11 different players adding their names to the rampage’s roll call.
Coach Shaun Wane (right) said: “We go into next week with confidence. We did loads of good things and the skills displayed were superb.”
England have clocked up 196 points in their three group victories – but Wane insists there is no danger they have had it too easy and aren’t battle-hardened going into the quarters. He said: “Over the last three weeks, we have had some really physical training. If people think we are underdone they will be wrong.”
Wane rang the changes, to ensure all 24 members of his squad have played ahead of the knockout stages.
But he’s now been handed some selection headaches, because so many players have staked genuine claims for a quarter-final spot.
Young’s four tries took his tally to eight in three games, making him the World Cup’s leading scorer. But Ryan Hall, picked on the other wing, also grabbed two to take England’s leading try-scorer to an impressive 39 touchdowns in 40 appearances.
And then there’s Tommy Makinson, who was picked at full-back here – but arguably is Wane’s firstchoice winger.
Sneyd and hooker Andy Ackers, who scored two and put in an eye-catching performance, have also made it hard for Wane to leave them out.
But the England head coach warned that every place is up for grabs: “I am
glad and selection will be easy, in a way, because I will just pick the 17 players that can win us the next game.
“I do not find those conversations with players hard at all because I just try to be as honest as I can as to why they are in or out.”
Greece, who weren’t legally allowed to play in their own country until two months ago, were cheered off.
Their epic story of playing midnight games in secret, to evade the police, meant just getting to the World Cup was a major victory.
They even rattled England in the opening quarter, scoring a try from Siteni Taukamo to the delight of coach Steve Georgallis. He said: “I’m a little emotional. My players gave England a good show for the first 20 minutes of the match and kept fighting to the end.
“But England clicked into another gear. I think they have got a team to go all the way in this World Cup.”
Tom Burgess grabbed two tries, with England’s other touchdowns coming from Matty Lees, George Williams, Joe Batchelor, Kai PearcePaul and Mike McMeeken.
ENGLAND: Tries: Lees, Young (4), Hall (2), Burgess (2), Williams, Makinson, Sneyd, Batchelor, Ackers (2), Pearce-Paul, McMeekan; Goals: Sneyd (13). GREECE: Try: Taukamo