Deadly Dom Young proved his England quality with a brilliant debut for the national side.
The strapping Newcastle Knights winger, 21, scored one try and set two others up as Shaun Wane’s team tore Fiji apart ahead of next Saturday’s World Cup opener against Samoa. Betfred had apologised to Dewsbury-born Young the day before the game after controversial comments questioning his England credentials on a video shown on their platform.
But the impressive Yorkshireman - who also qualifies for Jamaica - did all his talking on the pitch. And, even with Ryan Hall and Tommy Makinson in the ranks, he may have played his way into Wane’s starting side for the big one in Newcastle next Saturday.
The England boss said: “I’ll finalise the team on Saturday but Dom has a good chance. I was very impressed with him. All three are great wingers. But he did some really, really good things. He carried well out of yardage, was strong, showed good skill and overall it was a great first game for him.
“It was an impressive win in the conditions and players not knowing each other too well. Fiji are a big, physical team and to keep them to nil was fantastic.”
Young, who joined Newcastle from Huddersfield two years ago, terrorised Fiji in the first half despite spilling the ball over the line in England’s first attack. That would be his only mistake. Young scored in the 15th minute after Jack Welsby’s quality cut-out pass. And then he tore downfield following another stellar pass from his full-back to set up position for Salford hooker Andy Ackers to score on debut.
St Helens star Welsby, playing No1 with captain Sam Tomkins rested, sent another bullet pass to put Young in at the corner once more. This time the Fiji defence repelled him but he brilliantly got a pass back for Kallum Watkins to cross. But more was still to come. In the next set, Young broke yet again from deep to send skipper George Williams scampering over.
St Helens’ Joe Batchelor got another try to make it 28-0 at the break. There was no fear of a repeat when Steve McNamara’s England suffered a shock defeat to Italy on the same ground in their last match before the 2013 World Cup. The one-way traffic continued in the second period.
Forwards Luke Thompson, Mike McMeeken and Mike Cooper all crossed before England’s record try-scorer Ryan Hall added to his tally. Salford scrum-half Marc Sneyd finished with seven goals. Fiji were without their NRL Grand Final stars - Penrith duo Viliame Kikau and Apisai Koroisau plus Parramatta winger Maika Sivo.
But ex-Leeds boss Brian McDermott - “helping out” with Fiji’s coaching staff - said: “There’s not much to take out of it. We didn’t get much right. They’re hurting.”
