He's the only player featuring in a fourth successive World Cup yet England star Michael McIlorum feels it’s “strange” how he even became a rugby league professional.
The combative Catalans hooker is at the heart of Shaun Wane’s side as they bid to lift the trophy for the first time. But his first World Cup experience came in Ireland colours in 2008 when still a 20-year-old Wigan rookie. McIlorum did star for Steve McNamara’s England when they were knocked out in an epic 2013 World Cup semi-final at Wembley.
He was overlooked by new England chief Wayne Bennett four years later so headed Down Under with Ireland again, helping them beat James Tedesco’s Italy and Wales. However, current England boss Wane knows all about McIlorum’s quality from their days together at Wigan. He brought back him into the fold for this tournament ahead of Man of Steel winners Paul McShane and Daryl Clark plus Leeds captain Kruise Leeming.
Yet as a kid growing up in a tough, inner-city area of Leeds, just becoming a professional player - let alone enjoying such international longevity - was never in McIlorum’s thoughts. He said: "As a youngster at Queens and Stanningley, I never really thought about playing rugby as a career. Things just kind of progressed. I went along with it really. It was a bit strange. I was a Leeds lad and played at their scholarship but it wasn’t something I really wanted to do.
“I didn’t think ‘I want to be a rugby player’. I played it. I was OK at it. And then Wigan came in for me. I thought I’d go there and see how it went. I went to the Academy, then in the first-team and then there was a progression. I never thought I’d really want to play rugby league. I’ve been very fortunate with my career. Looking back now, I don’t know what I’d have done otherwise."
He gets a rest for tomorrow’s final group game against Greece with Salford’s Andy Ackers expected to play the full 80. McIlorum, 34, started in the impressive victories over Samoa and France but Wane is now keeping him fresh for a likely quarter-final against Papua New Guinea. Hopes have been raised that a home nation can win the World Cup for the first time since Great Britain in 1972.
McIlorum, who is loving being back in England colours, joked: “I can’t remember much about 2013, it was that long ago. There were some great players in that team as well. But under the guidance of Waney, we’re going to have every chance of doing well in this tournament. And it is great being at another World Cup."
Captain Sam Tomkins, centre Herbie Farnworth and second-row Elliott Whitehead are the others rested against Greece.
England 19-man squad: Makinson, Hall, Young, Pearce-Paul, Welsby, Williams, Sneyd, Oledzki, Ackers, Burgess, Thompson, Bateman, Radley, Knowles, Lees, Cooper, Hill, McMeeken, Batchelor.
