Stevo calls for ‘electric’ Mikey Lewis to feature in third test despite George Williams return

England face Tonga in the third and final test on Saturday at Headingley having already secured a series win, however head coach Shaun Wane is seemingly intent on a 3-0 series win and has outlined the return of captain George Williams as key to that.

Wane had been asked in the post match media following victory at the John Smith’s Stadium in game two as to whether skipper Williams would feature in the final test, to which he responded clearly.

“George will play. He’ll be captain. He’s a player I admire, and I love what Mikey and Harry have done, but George will play,” Wane declared.

“I’ll pick the strongest team and I think we’ll win. No question. It won’t be a long debate that.

“My heart tells me who to pick and that’s what I’ll do this week; but we’ll have a strong team, we’ll have a strong team and they’ll be committed and they’ll be really, really physical”.

The question of whether Williams would play had been raised by some, such has been the success of the Harry Smith and Mikey Lewis partnership, with former Great Britain international Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson being one of those to raise the question.

Addressing whether Williams should play on his podcast, ‘The Eddie and Stevo Podcast’, Stephenson explained: “Well if you’re going to nominate him as a captain, then it will be very rare to find an international situation whereby the captain doesn’t play.

“It has happened in the past. There was a tour captain where the British Lions went down to Australia and the captain did not play in one of the three test series but it’s very very rare and look I mean George Williams is a tremendous player.

“Maybe they’ll just put Mikey Lewis on the bench because he was outstanding. It was through his electric pace that made the opportunities to ensure that they got away with a win.”

It would be a change to see Wane carry a half on his bench with the formula so far in this series having seen a hooker and three forwards occupy the four substitute slots, but Lewis offered so much in the first test that he could be used as a change of pace option and Victor Radley fill in at hooker instead.

There are expected to be changes for the third and final test though with both Morgan Smithies and Josh Thewlis having been called into the squad, whilst Williams is of course now available having served his ban.

Thus far only Tyler Dupree and Robbie Mulhern haven’t made a matchday squad and that could well continue given Wane’s insistence on winning the series 3-0, something that would suggest he will continue with his strongest 17.