McNamara weighs up options

Steve McNamara
12 April 2012

England coach Steve McNamara was mulling over his options after formally ruling centre Michael Shenton out of Sunday's Four Nations clash with Australia at the AAMI Stadium.

The St Helens-bound Castleford player is unlikely to take any further part in the tournament after damaging ankle ligaments in Saturday's opening 24-10 defeat by New Zealand in Wellington, although the tourists are still waiting to discover the full extent of the injury.

"He definitely won't play this week," McNamara told a press conference at the team's Melbourne city-centre hotel. "We'll probably know a little bit more after the medics have done some work with him."

He added: "He's had the scan and there is some pretty decent damage there. He's heavily strapped but he heals pretty quick - as he keeps telling us - and he's keen to stay around and hopefully make himself available for later in the tournament.

"It was incredible how he managed to stay out there. He was in some pretty decent pain at half-time but you wouldn't have known it in the second half.

"He's very tough and committed and not only did he play on but he contributed massively to what was a great second-half performance.

"Michael's a loss for us but it's going to give someone else a chance, probably another young player who is itching to get an opportunity."

England will have Leeds winger Ryan Hall available after missing the game in Wellington with a hamstring injury and McNamara could switch Wigan's Darrell Goulding inside to right centre to accommodate his return.

He also suggested that he is considering using second-rower Joel Tomkins as a makeshift threequarter but is more likely to either bring in a straight replacement in Tony Clubb (Harlequins) or Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield) or switch Gareth Widdop from full-back as he did in the second half against the Kiwis.

"Gareth is quite capable of playing in all the different positions, which is an advantage for us at this moment in time," said McNamara.

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