THE telling contribution from the Warrington Wolves trio involved in the Rugby League World Cup 2017 quarter-final victory over Papua New Guinea can from Ben Currie.

Starting Wire prop Chris Hill worked hard with his fellow packmen in taking the sting out of the Kumuls’ physicality but Currie’s introduction off the bench caught the eye.

Warrington Guardian:

Wolves' Chris Hill doing his defensive duties for England against Papua New Guinea. Picture: NRLPhotos

Currie would perhaps have started the game on the back of a fine performance against France last week had the injured player looking to return not been one of England’s most experienced and influential performers, Sam Burgess.

When a player joins the game as a replacement a coach wants him to make an impact and Wayne Bennett would have to be pleased with Currie’s interjection despite his first involvement being to give a penalty away for tackling a ball catcher in the air.

The second rower, whose arrival allowed Burgess to move into his more accustomed middle-man role for South Sydney Rabbitohs, made up for that a few minutes later.

England needed another try just to be sure PNG were not fuelled into a second-half fightback at 14-0 down.

Fine clearing work by Ryan Hall and John Bateman took England close to halfway as the Kumuls were struggling to get back onside.

James Roby, of all people, galloped at the defensive line from second receiver and his offload found Gareth Widdop in support with the PNG defence all at sea.

Currie, who had positioned himself on the left wing, raised his finger to call for the ball and Widdop obliged with a perfectly weighted kick for Currie to gather cleanly and cross unopposed for a 20-0 lead that ensured after 56 minutes that it would be England progressing to face Tonga in next Saturday’s semi final in Auckland.

Currie kept himself busy for the rest of the game and Hill returned for his second spell to enjoy some magic moments as Jermaine McGillvary, the scorer of two tries in the first half, laid on a pair for Leeds Rhinos’ former Latchford Albion junior Kallum Watkins.

Hill, apparently, had been a doubt leading into the game due to some issues with cramp but seemed to come through okay.

That was not the case though for Wolves’ other starter, Kevin Brown.

The stand-off did not reappear for the second half after taking a bang in the 25th minute and it looks as if he will need to pass a head test this week in order to feature against the Tongans and his new Wolves teammate Ben Murdoch-Masila.

Brown looked to be in order at half-time when he was interviewed for the BBC while leaving the field.

He said: “We turned the ball over too many times and made it difficult but PNG are playing hard and we expected it.

“Defensively we ripped in. Wayne won’t be happy about the errors and we’ve got a lot to improve on.”

Brown was correct in everything he said, because it was an error riddled opening 40 minutes that was not improved upon in the second half in terms of the numbers of mistakes and incompleted sets.

But no matter how ‘compos mentis’ the 33-year-old appeared to be at that stage, questions will perhaps be raised about him being left on the field after the way he buckled under the tackle from sub Stargroth Amean after attempting to continue momentum from Luke Gale’s interception break.



 

Warrington Guardian:

Kevin Brown receives treatment on the field. Picture: NRLPhotos

Brown looked out for the count on television images after catching the full force of Amean’s shoulder in the face, and that was even before Watson Boas dropped on him late with an elbow to the chest.

He was adamant to England’s medical staff that he was all right to continue and did so but when he dropped a long pass from skipper Sean O’Loughlin two minutes later he looked shaken.


 

At that stage England were leading 8-0 with Brown twice being involved in shift plays for the tries finished off by McGillvary.



 

Only time will tell if Brown is fit to face Tonga.

His absence would pose Bennett a fresh problem.

England have had a better shape since moving Widdop to full-back with Brown in the halves.

So would Bennett bring Widdop back to number six and recall either Stefan Ratchford or Jonny Lomax into the full-back spot, or hand George Williams a first start of the tournament instead.

Hopefully Brown will be available so that Bennett does not have to make that call.