St Helens head coach, Paul Wellens has tipped one of his in-form props to make the England squad to face Australia at the end of the year
It has been over three years since Alex Walmsley last represented England, but after a stellar season in which the 35-year-old looks to be back to his best, coach Wellens believes there is no reason why he can’t force his way back into Shaun Wane’s selection.
His last international game came against the Combined National All-Stars, in which England took an 18-4 victory in 2022. A foot injury ruled the powerful forward out of the postponed World Cup in 2022, and hasn’t managed to regain a place in the national team.
In recent series against Tonga and Samoa, England boss Wane has decided to go for a different selection of props, including Mike McMeeken, Matty Lees and Ethan Havard, leaving no room for Walmsley.
However, he has been on fire this season, averaging 123 metres per game, 17 carries and five tackle busts.
His performances this season have earned him high praise with his head coach, who believes he has seen enough this season for him to be a strong contender for a selection call up against Australia.
Speaking in his weekly press conference, Wellens admitted that the four-time Grand Final winner has been one of the league’s best, and how his impact on the Saints team is immense.
He said: “I think he’s been one of the standout front rowers in the competition, I don’t think many would disagree with me there.
“You can tell when he isn’t around the team, his influence his huge. He’s someone that doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, you can imagine with his presence, his words carry a lot of weight.
“But, it’s not just his words, it’s his actions. The way he goes onto the field, the way he imposes himself on the game, which is really impressive and that’s the type of players that England could potentially need when facing the Australians at the end of the year.”
