IT has been a long time between games for the England rugby league team.

We last saw the country's top talent, including Warrington Wolves' Chris Hill and Ben Westwood, on their knees, clutching their heads and with tears in their eyes after a heart-breaking last-gasp defeat to New Zealand at Wembley in the semi finals of the Rugby League World Cup last November.

Few had given Steve McNamara's men much hope of toppling the then world champions on the biggest of stages but they were seconds away from a famous when win scrum half Shaun Johnson found a way past Kevin Sinfield to put the Kiwis into an Old Trafford showdown with Australia.

It was a tournament in which England grew with every performance and there will be increased expectancy on a new-look squad when it opens the Four Nations campaign against Samoa in Brisbane on Saturday, before tackling world champions Australia and then New Zealand on successive weekends.

Can England, 12 months on, rise to the same levels and make their supporters proud?

"I think we can," said Mike Cooper, the former Warrington Wolves prop who is new to the senior England squad after a stunning debut season in the Australian NRL competition with St George Illawarra Dragons.

"Certainly the expectation from me and other lads I've spoken to is that we're in with a very good chance of winning.

"There's been a lot of talk about the changes in the Australia side for this tournament, but there's been a lot of changes in our side too.

"I think we've only got 13 players from last year's World Cup squad. It is going to be difficult and we've got to get it sorted in a short period of time since coming together in camp.

"But I think the difference with past years is that because of the England Knights system we've had in place most of the players brought into the senior squad, like myself, know all the calls, all the terminology that is used and know what to expect.

"There's a good quality England brand that's not really been seen before.

"And with the youth in the squad comes a lot of pride, energy, aggression and passion.

"It's not a bad thing that a lot of us have not experienced the Test arena. It just means we're going to go 100 percent from the moment we get on the field and I think that's a really positive thing for us."

Wolves player of the year Hill said the England players must carry increased expectancy on their shoulders and grow from it.

Prop Hill, who starts on the bench against Samoa at Suncorp Stadium, said: "We want people to be expecting high things from us because that's what we want to produce.

"We want that feeling around the camp and that little bit of pressure on us to produce. It'll bring the best out of us."

And he is not concerned that there have been no England games for 12 months with regards to digging out a decent showing in this tournament - his first on Australasian soil.

"I think this is as strong if not stronger squad than in the World Cup and that squad did take some beating.

"Obviously we're missing Sam Burgess this time round, which is a big loss, but we've still got the other big Burgess lads from NRL Grand Final winners South Sydney Rabbitohs.

"We know we pushed the Aussies and New Zealand to the last few seconds and we know we're more than capable of doing it.

"It's a very youthful England squad this time which will bring a lot of energy to the way we play and it's looking good to do a job."

Wolves utility back Stefan Ratchford is also on his first tour Down Under with England.

"Although it has been a long time between games for the England team, I just think it makes the lads more determined when they get out there - more determined to put in a great performance and come away with the right result."

Over the past few years, England have had mid-season friendly internationals against Exiles or France in what was a preparation tool for last year's World Cup.

Ratchford's only appearance in a senior England shirt came against the Exiles - a team made up of the cream of Super League's overseas talent - in 2012.

"On the back of the World Cup I don't think a mid-season fixture would have benefited us," he said.

"It would have been taking weekends out of the calendar and perhaps trying to get a game against an Exiles side in which players may not have been fully committed if they were carrying a niggle.

"And if we'd played France - and no disrespect to them - but the last few times we've played them it's been 50 or 60 points scored.

"We've had a couple of training camps for the lads to all get together. That has bonded us a bit more than a 60-point victory would have done."

And Ratchford is confident that this England squad is capable of achieving a tournament win.

"The squad has a lot of new faces and some will say it's due to injuries but I think some of the lads in the squad would have possibly got in anyway.

"It's a young squad but there's lots of confident players in it and players who are honoured to play for their country.

"I think the squad is more than capably of coming away with a result."

Another England first-timer, Wolves' new signing and Man of Steel winner Daryl Clark, is also not concerned by the lack of matches for the national team heading into the tournament.

"I won't be worried by that," said Clark, who is named on the bench for the Samoa opener which will be broadcast live on BBC2 on Saturday, kick off 7am.

"With the training and time together before the first game, I don't think that should be a problem.

"If you look at the players in the squad,they have played very well for their clubs during the year. Most have played big games and international matches and know what it is all about."

Clark's appearance for Castleford Tigers in the Challenge Cup Final defeat to Leeds Rhinos in August was certainly the biggest game he has been involved with so far.

"Wembley was a massive stage, it was new for me and it felt pretty overwhelming," he admitted.

"I'd like to think it gives me a feel of what to expect."

He is not making any bold predictions though.

"I wouldn't like to predict anything about this tournament," he said.

"But I'd like to think we'll do well and stand our ground."