Wakefield Trinity playmaker tipped for England call as ‘rare ability’ highlighted

Wakefield Trinity boss Daryl Powell insists in-form half-back Jake Trueman has all the attributes to shine at international level.

Trueman turned in another scintillating performance on Friday night to help the Trin blow Leeds Rhinos away in the second half and secure a spot in the last eight of the Challenge Cup.

It followed what was a strong outing against Hull FC in round four of Super League, too, with the stand-off shining alongside young half-back Jack Sinfield in the Wakefield pivots.

And, with four rounds of Super League played, no man has more try assists than Trueman’s five at present, with the half-back level with the likes of Lachie Miller and Jackson Hastings.

Powell, couldn’t be happier with the form Trueman is finding at present then, and he believes the new England boss should certainly be keeping the former Hull FC and Castleford Tigers man in mind when they’re eventually appointed.

“I thought last week against Hull he showed in the second half what he was about,” Powell said after seeing his Wakefield Trinity side claim a 24-14 win over Leeds. “He’s starting to run a little bit more which shows he’s starting to feel a bit more confident and his passing game is phenomenal, as good as anybody.

“He’s playing so well and I’m really pleased with the way he’s growing and developing as a person and around our environment. He’s saying more than he’s ever said and I’ve known him a fair while, so that means something for a young player like him in a pivotal position to just come out of his shell a little bit.

“Both him and Jack, Mason [Lino] has been out for a few weeks now, but those two have really handed that well and guided us and Truey is a big part of that.

“That’s not his natural way, his natural way is to play as a six, float around and pick teams apart, but the more he communicates and grows in that area, the more it benefits us and the it benefits him as well. It’s the same with Jack, I’m talking to Jack all the time about just being able to manage a team with more vocal authority and that will come.

“He’s a young man and if he isn’t getting confidence from what he’s doing at the minute, then what can he get confidence from?”

Asked specifically whether Trueman has aspirations of playing for the national team, Powell added: “I think he has and I think he’s that kind of player, he’s got the ability and he’s pretty solid defensively and often when you look at half-backs, that’s an area where you look to isolate them physically, but you can’t isolate him physically because he’s built like a 13.

“He’s got that in his armoury which you need at international level because the back-rowers at international level, we’ve seen them, they’re ginormous. He can handle that but he has the skillset and everything he needs.

“It’s a journey for him to be able to handle that and I think he’s in a good place to kick on, but we don’t know who the coach is going to be yet and they’ll have their own opinions. For me, I look at him and think it should be a part of what he’s thinking and I know it is because he’s got that rare ability that stands him out as an international quality player.”

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