It might not have been the most spectacular of occasions for an England debut but Oliver Wilson wasn’t complaining.
The Huddersfield prop made his Test bow coming off the bench in Saturday’s 40-8 win against France in Toulouse. The game itself came in for huge criticism given its low-profile. Played in front of a disappointingly small crowd, only broadcast on a little-known streaming channel and, essentially, as a curtain-raiser for a Championship fixture between Toulouse and Featherstone, it hardly set the pulses racing.
Let’s not forget, even England coach Shaun Wane was absent having needed to stay at home following an ankle operation. But this mid-season international meant the world to Wilson, one of four debutants in his side. The 24-year-old enthused: “It was a dream come true.
“It was a bit of a shock when Waney called me into his team but the whole week’s been great. We’ve had quite a bit of adversity: Waney hasn’t been there and the flight was delayed. But the whole week was just magic. Parts of the game felt similar to Super League. But you get an extra umph when representing your country.”
His side were 8-0 down after an underwhelming first quarter when fired-up France looked capable of inflicting a first defeat on England since 1981. Fortunately, Jack Welsby stepped up to drag the visitors out of their go-slow. He scored their first try and then had a hand in both of Leeds winger Ash Handley’s brace, the brilliant Tom Johnstone rounding off an electric spell of four tries in just 11 minutes.
Matty Nicholson and skipper George Williams got on the scoresheet after the break with Welsby and Johnstone both completing doubles. But as their only hit-out of the year before facing World Cup finalists Samoa in the autumn’s two Test series, it brought up all the old questions of how best to get England some decent, regular competition. Those questions aren’t for Wilson, though.
He was just able to revel in having a blast for his country. Wilson said: “I didn’t really get in the England Under 16s that much. I managed the 19s a bit more against Australia and got a couple of England Knights squads but never actually played.
“Now I’ve had that England call-up, though. It’s been a long journey but I’ve appreciated the struggles as it makes the highs better. I’d love to get in that squad again at the end of the year. But if I play or don’t play, just being in that environment, being in the camp, it’s a good place and I can learn loads.
“It’s something I’m aiming for. It was disappointing Waney wasn’t there as he’s head coach. But [assistant] Andy Last stepped up and was brilliant.”