MIKEY Lewis used his loaf to help England see off Samoa – after literally meeting their challenge head on.
The Hull KR star did not back down as Gordon Chan Kum Tong confronted him at the end of the Pacific islanders’ pre-match Siva Tau.
Foreheads were pressed against each other in a fearsome meeting that set the stage perfectly.
Then it was a case of using what lies behind before launching himself into the fray off the bench as interchange hooker, rather than half back – and scoring the final try.
“That gave me a chance to read things and see things differently,” said Lewis.
“Sam Tomkins said to me, ‘Watch everything. Don’t miss a minute. Keep watching what they do and think when you go on, how are you going to exploit it?’
“That’s what I did and playing a slightly different role didn’t change my mental approach. When I get my chance, I’ll be myself and express myself.
“That’s all I wanted to do and that’s all that was wanted from me, to bring that energy.
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“But we don’t take a backwards step. It’s our territory. To get over our side, they’ve got to earn it. That’s the culture we’ve built.
“I enjoyed it, it got me pumped up. I just said, ‘Let’s go.’ I never thought anything more would come from it.
“He picked me out and I wasn’t taking a backwards step. It was just two lads living the dream by playing for their country.”
Despite seeing off the last World Cup finalists, England were not perfect – boss Shaun Wane admitted the performance would not have troubled Australia.
Yet as Matty Ashton ran in two tries, with Victor Radley and Herbie Farnworth also going in, skipper George Williams took centre stage with his score capping a real captain’s display.
Only for him to be told he can do better – as his side will have to do in next year’s Ashes, which may yet be on these shores.
Doing more than push and shove in a 26-man fracas may be a start, even though Wane was relieved nothing more happened.
“Shaun’s been like that with me since I was about 12,” Warrington ace Williams said.
“I’d come off thinking I’ve had a great game but he’d tell me I’ve done five things wrong, which is good.”
On the fracas, Wane added: “It was an all-in jersey pull! Collars being stretched, I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
