Young talent time: Knights star backed for England spot in World Cup opener

NRL-based English players have urged coach Shaun Wane to consider star Knights rookie Dom Young for next weekend’s World Cup opener against Toa Samoa at Newcastle’s St James' Park.

Young made a stunning international debut in England’s 50-0 pre-World Cup demolition of Fiji; scoring a try, laying on two others and running a game high 204 metres with the ball.

Wane admitted he was impressed by the 21-year-old’s performance but stopped short of guaranteeing Young a place on the wing for the World Cup opener on October 15 in Newcastle.

Young said afterwards that he was looking forward to the Samoa match but with 2018 Golden Boot winner Tommy Makinson expected to return on the right wing, he is vying with England’s greatest tryscorer Ryan Hall for the other wing spot.

“All three are great wingers but that’s my job and our standards are high,” Wane said. “We have to win that game next Saturday against a really good Samoan team.

“I will look at finalising the team after our review but there is a good chance for him. I was impressed.

“I thought he did some really good things, he carried the ball really strong out of yardage and his skills were good. Overall, it was a very good first game for him and I was very impressed.”

Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead said Young had been a stand-out for the Knights this season and had carried his NRL form into the international arena.

“He has been outstanding all year for Newcastle,” Whitehead said. “He is a big body, and he gets you out of trouble, he gets you out of yardage and gets you on the front foot.

“He is similar to Ryan Hall and Tommy Makinson, so it is going to be a headache for Shaun.”

Rabbitohs prop Tom Burgess said Young had earned his place in the England squad.

"Dom has had a really good season in the NRL. The size and speed of him, he is one of the best in the game I'd say now," Burgess told the BBC.

"He is obviously a young lad but he is a really good prospect and it was nice to see him in an England shirt."

Former Canberra halfback George Williams, who captained the England team against Fiji, also praised Young, who set up a try for him and another for centre Kallum Watkins.

“He was probably the stand-out for me. Out of yardage, just his carries for us. Dom was massive for us,” Williams said.

“He is unbelievable, a freak of nature and at 6ft 7in, he’s big, strong and fast. He was taking tough carries and making good metres against a big Fiji side. He set me up for a try, so I owe him one.”

After initially intending to play for Jamaica at the World Cup alongside his brother Alex, Huddersfield-born Young said he was keen to face Samoa and experience the support of English fans at the 55,000 capacity St James Park.

"I'm really excited," Young told BBC radio after the match. "It's going to be a massive test, but to open a World Cup at home in front of all our fans in Newcastle. It's exciting and I can't wait to get out there."

"It's been a while since I've been back in front of the England fans and my family as well. I loved it.

"It was a good performance by us. We know they're a big set of lads and they'd front up, but we did a great job and we were really clinical."

Wane said he had been impressed by Young’s maturity off the field, as well as his on-field ability.

“He did some outstanding things for Newcastle this year,” Wane said. “He has got some aerial threats and the thing that impressed me the most was his carries out of yardage.

“I know he finished tries and did some other good things but he was a handful coming out of yardage and that would have been troubled Fiji.

“He has been great in camp as well, I have been really impressed by him.”