Young Saints forward George Delaney showed his happiness upon hearing from England manager Shaun Wane that he is part of the test squad getting ready for the match in France on Saturday.
Along with fellow Saints Jack Welsby and Matty Lees, the uncapped 20-year-old front rower is part of the team getting ready for the mid-season test in Toulouse.
The dynamic Widnesian has experience playing for the England Knights, but this is his first time with the senior national team. He views it as a great honour and learning opportunity.
Delaney stated: “I really couldn’t believe it when Shaun called me and talked about how I’ve been playing and told me I was in the squad for the weekend because it’s something I didn’t expect at this point.”
He stated, “It will be an amazing experience for me whether I make the 17 or not.
“Even if I don’t play, I’ll grow accustomed to this setting in case I’m called up later on.”
“I will treasure the opportunity to play for England at any point in the future; if I do end up doing so, it will be enormous for me.
“It is very pleasing to be among those names and to be acknowledged as being either on par with some of them or not too far off from them.”
Among the middles Wane has chosen are Matty Lees, a current teammate, and Luke Thompson, a former Saint.
Delaney, who recently enrolled in the camp, was excited about the chance to observe and gain knowledge, with the ultimate goal of donning the shirt.
“Observing Matty Lees’ daily activities at Saints and working with him has been incredibly beneficial to my growth, so it will be interesting to see the other internationals’ personalities and training methods,” Delaney added.
“Matty and I are pretty much the same in that we work hard and make good props. As a result, we are able to play far longer than the typical front rower.
“It goes without saying that the big men on the bench are extremely important, but a lot of teams are playing sets for sets these days, which fits my style of play and how we are playing.”
Surprisingly, Delaney has made 38 appearances in the red vee since making his debut in March 2022, just a few weeks after turning eighteen.
Coach Paul Wellens used to control Delaney’s playing time, but with the number of injuries on the Saints’ roster, Delaney has forced to step up and take Alex Walmsley’s spot as the starting prop.
“Going from coming off the bench and doing 20 or 30 minutes to having to start the game has been a challenge for me,” Delaney stated.
“I have played longer minutes and it has been much more intense, but I have enjoyed the challenge and wanted to test myself with that different intensity at the beginning of the game.”
When playing at the open age level against seasoned, grizzled veterans who are well-versed in the dark arts of front row play, prop is frequently one of the hardest roles to transition from Age Grade rugby to.
However, Delaney has handled everything well, never overachieving, and been ready to put in the hard work outside of the club. He earned credit for his Dual Reg appearances for Swinton in the early months of 2023 when the rest of the starting team was in Australia.
“My journey has proceeded flawlessly. I played for the Academy, Reserves, and finally the Championship, which is a little slower and harder, before I joined the Saints. It was easy for me because the rapid game is fun, he remarked.
“The first team rested during the 2022 Castleford and Wakefield games, which is a rare occurrence.
Thus, you must take advantage of your opportunity whenever it presents itself.
As a young man coming through the Academy in my first year, I had already come to terms with the fact that I would not be travelling before the boys left. I didn’t really anticipate it to go to Australia.
“By the time they arrived, I had already moved past it and realised I could use it as an opportunity to prepare, focus, and win a few of games in the Championship.
“I’m still improving and playing at my best right now. I learn so much from feedback in every game.”
Teenager Noah Stephens, who has made a significant impact in recent weeks with the Saints’ injury crisis, has followed Delaney’s path to the first team from the Academy this season.
“Noah has stepped up really well as well,” stated Deaney. Off the bench, he’s had a few strong performances and offers something unique.
“What a big lad he is; he and Iggy, who comes in off the bench, add something special; they are strong and create enough ruck speed for Daz to jump out.”
