Powerhouse Mikolaj Oledzki intends on “creating something special” with England - at the scene of his most recent heartbreak.
The juggernaut Leeds Rhinos prop hopes to get the nod from Shaun Wane for Saturday’s World Cup opener against Samoa. If England can defy the odds to reach the final they know it’s at Old Trafford, where Oledzki suffered Super League Grand Final disappointment against St Helens barely a fortnight ago.
While stepping up England prep’ with Saints players such as Matty Lees and Jack Welsby, he admitted: "I’m still hurting. The journey we'd been on as a team - down near the bottom and then up to fifth - no team has ever really been on before. It’s been a pretty crazy season and a turbulent one.
"It hurt losing as I knew how much we sacrificed to get there. And you feel like you've been kicked back down the stairs you've climbed. But I’m going to use it positively. And hopefully get back there soon (with England).”
Gdansk-born Oledzki moved to England aged nine but only discovered rugby league when his family headed north from Northamptonshire to Leeds when he was around 13. He recalled: “I started my rugby journey quite late and going through my scholarship and academy days, my final goal was to play professionally for Leeds Rhinos. I’d have been over the moon with that. It never crossed my mind that I'd get the opportunity to play in a World Cup so this is a dream come true for me.”
Wane will want the mountainous Oledzki fit and firing to take on the huge Samoa side who are packed with NRL talent. Matt Parish’s side have been installed as favourites for the opening Group A clash. Super League Dream Team member Oledzki, 24, insisted: “Every nation you have to respect like they are a force and that’s what we’ve done with Samoa.
“We’ve looked at them. But the main thing is we’ll be doing what we want to do ourselves and executing Shaun’s gameplan to tackle their strengths.
"You hear stuff being said about this game but we’ll just make sure we do the right stuff. We know what we’re capable of. And we know we can achieve something special. To play in England as well, in front of home fans, it doesn’t come around often. I can't wait to hopefully run out in that first match and show what I can do.”
