27 October 2023 , 16:27
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Without a Test cap in five years, it’s understandable why Daryl Clark feared his England career was over.
But the rangy Warrington hooker came back with a bang against Tonga on Sunday to showcase his talent once more. And he lines up again on Saturday as Shaun Wane’s side fire-up for a series win at Huddersfield. Clark, 30, had not featured for England in a full international since playing against New Zealand in 2018 under Wayne Bennett, the coach who also gave him two Great Britain caps the following year.
The ex-Man of Steel conceded: “It’s been four years since I was last involved internationally at this time of year so every year that goes and you keep missing out, you do question yourself. You never know. You do wonder if it is going to come around again.
"But Waney’s put me in this time around, had the confidence to start me and I’d like to think I repaid his faith in me with a decent performance at the weekend. Now I want to try and keep the spot. It’s great to play for England again. It’s always a pleasure and I was buzzing to get that start.”
It was only the second time in his nine England appearances since debuting in 2014 that Lance Todd Trophy winner Clark had started. But with his slick distribution and sniping runs, he helped keep Tonga’s forwards honest before Warrington team-mate Danny Walker came on to replace him. Clark came off the bench in Wane’s first game in charge, the non-capped 26-24 win over Combined Nations All Stars in June 2021.
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But Castleford’s Paul McShane and Leeds’ Kruise Leeming kept him out that autumn against France. And then Catalans’ Michael McIlorum and Salford’s Andy Ackers denied Clark a World Cup spot last year. However, now he wants to show he can be Wane’s main man with Samoa coming up next year before the 2025 Ashes and 2026 World Cup.
England's Daryl Clark makes a break as they beat Tonga 22-18 at his new home ground of St Helens (Steve Flynn/News Images)Clark said: “We want to get this Tonga series wrapped up on Saturday. The goal is to win all three games but we know we get the first two and the series is sorted before we go to Headingley next week. We were good on Sunday and it was a great start. But we know we can be better.”
The ex-Castleford star has signed a three-year deal with St Helens - whose boss Paul Wellens is on the Tonga coaching staff. Clark said: “I was going to ring Wello when I knew I was in the England squad - but at that point I didn’t realise he was working for Tonga! He’ll give them good insight into our players. I’ll catch up with him to see when I start training when this is all over.”