After revealing former Golden Boot winner Tommy Makinson would miss the Second Test with a wrist injury, England coach Shaun Wane engaged in a good old fashioned war of words when he described comments from new Tonga captain Addin Fonua-Blake as “insulting”.
Makinson is one of two guaranteed changes for the host nation at John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday with Warrington’s Matty Ashton named as his replacement. Wigan’s Liam Farrell would join the squad in place of Morgan Knowles (thumb), Wane said at a media opportunity in Wigan’s Robin Park complex.
Wane then went on to address comments made after the match from Mate Ma’a coach Kristian Woolf and captain Fonua-Blake.
New Zealand Warrior Fonua-Blake said after a 22-18 England win at Totally Wicked Stadium: “I feel like we lost the game ourselves, I don’t feel like they beat us. I feel like – yeah – we handed them the game.”
Wane responded: “To say they didn’t feel we won the game is bit insulting to us but it’s been said. We’ll deal with it. We just don’t do that sort of thing.”
Woolf looks ahead to Huddersfield
Former internationals England Sam Tomkins, Karl Harrison, Tony Smith, Denis Betts and Gareth Ellis performed the jersey presentation at Robin Park today.
Wane said he would be fielding his best 17 in all three Tests and with captain George Williams back from suspension at Headingley the following week, that means either Harry Smith or Mikey Lewis would have to make way in the halves.
“It’ll be the best two halves out of three,” said Wane.
Tonga have no injury worries with forward Tyson Frizell now expected to be fully recovered from a knee injury.
Both teams will have final training session at Sale rugby union in the final two days before the clash.
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