A first taste of the England set up has left Leeds Rhinos forward James McDonnell hungry for more.
McDonnell was called into the national squad for last month’s mid-season Test against France in Toulouse, but did not feature in the matchday 17. He had already been capped for the second-string England Knights and played for Ireland in the 2022 World Cup, but reckons the latest experience can take his game to a new level. “Not playing wasn’t exactly a disappointment,” the 24-year-old second-rower reflected. “I would have loved to play, but I knew what my role was going into that squad.
It is a tall order, but McDonnell insisted they can stage a late surge into the play-offs. “It’s 10 games left, there’s 20 points up for grabs so that’s plenty of opportunity,” he said. “We need to look at what we want for the rest of the season; there’s no one who does not want to be competing. Sixth is the minimum for us at the moment. “That’s where we want to be.
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