Five Super League stars who have shown they could shine in the NRL during the World Cup including St Helens & Leeds Rhinos stars

The Rugby League World Cup comes to a close today with the final set to see Samoa and Australia but heads in a titanic clash at Old Trafford this afternoon.

That came will only play host to a maximum of three Super League players in the shape of Tim Lafai of Salford Red Devils and Ligi Sao of Hull FC who are nailed on to play. Whilst there is a chance Lafai’s club teammate Ken Sio could play albeit a limited one with Brian To’o and Taylan May cemented on the wings for Samoa.

That said, many Super League stars have proven their quality throughout the tournament and some have even shown that they could cause problems in the more physical NRL in Australia.

So, here’s five Super League players who have shown during the World Cup that they could become NRL stars.

Jack Welsby
According to the Daily Telegraph, Welsby is now on the radar of every NRL club and is being tipped to make the move in the future. Though the tournament ended badly for the St Helens star, Welsby was superb in the opening game with a blend of skill and athleticism which is needed to succeed in the NRL. His explosivity when running at defences would make him a top NRL player.

Tommy Makinson
A similar thing could be said about his St Helens teammate Tommy Makinson. Unlike his fellow wingers Dom Young and Ryan who play or have played in the NRL before, Makinson has never made the move. That said, he has every attribute needed. He is a potent finisher, even scoring five in one game against Papua New Guinea, and a runner who hoovers up metres on kick returns which is vital in the NRL and we saw he can do it against the biggest packs last week as he was England’s best player against Samoa.

Edwin Ipape
The Papua New Guinea international is about to get a taste of Super League with Leigh Leopards in 2023 after helping them achieve promotion last year as the Betfred Championship Player of the Year. He has also never played NRL but playing against some of the world’s best players in the Tonga and England games he showed for the Kumuls that he can be a threat against any team including against sides full of NRL stars. His speed and explosivity makes him an ideal modern nine as shown by the fact he was named in the Team of the Tournament.

Morgan Knowles
Though he started every game off the bench, Knowles was always in the thick of things. He made England tighter round the middle and displayed the added 1% efforts needed to be a top star in rugby league’s most physically demanding league.

James Bentley
Leeds Rhinos star James Bentley has been making plenty of headlines recently and has been linked with a move to the NRL. That tells you everything you need to know. Against the likes of New Zealand and a Lebanon side with plenty of NRL experience, Bentley caused real problems and was a battler who those sides struggled to contend with.