02 November 2023 , 07:24
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Tom Johnstone was once told by Leeds Rhinos he’d never be good enough to play professional rugby league but returns to Headingley on Saturday as an England star.
The prolific Catalans winger has no gripes with the club. Far from it. But he does love going back to the ground where he used to watch the sport as a kid.
Although Johnstone was born in Germany - his dad was based there with the Army - he grew up in Leeds. And now he is aiming to torpedo Tonga and complete a 3-0 series whitewash at the famous ground.
Johnstone, 28, recalled: “I was in the Rhinos scholarship. I got sat down in the end of the year meeting and just got released.
“They said you’re not big enough, you’re not good enough and you won’t be. It was a big fuelling of the fire for me. But I wouldn’t change a thing in my career with the highs and lows. From there, to Wakefield where I loved it and then on to Catalans this year and back into England. It’s made me the person I am today.
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“But I do enjoy playing at Headingley. It’s a place I used to go watch when I was younger. That bit of drive having not ever played for Leeds makes you want to play well on that pitch. I’m really looking forward to playing Saturday.”
Johnstone is enjoying a brilliant 2023. Having moved to Perpignan, he finished as Super League’s top tryscorer with 28, earned a Dream Team spot and played in his first Grand Final.
And he scored twice in the first Test win over Tonga, his first England cap since a hat-trick debut against France in 2018, before featuring as they secured a series victory at Huddersfield on Saturday.
Will England make it 3-0 against Tonga? Have your say in the comments section
England are chasing a 3-0 series win against Tonga (PA)Johnstone enthused: “I’m absolutely loving it. Every minute of it. Being with the boys in camp, playing, getting to be out there on the big stage again. It’s been a long five years and it makes it really special to get back involved. That first Test was a big one and I was a bit starstruck.
“Last week I felt a bit more settled and back in the mix. Now we want to finish it off in Leeds.”
Much of the talk of this series has been of Tonga’s “disrespect” of England when claiming their first Test win was more down to the tourists losing it and refereeing decisions than anything the hosts had done. That got England boss Shaun Wane riled ahead of the second Test and he was elated when his team went out and did the business again with a 14-4 victory.
England head coach Shaun Wane is going after another win (Getty Images)There was niggle throughout and it’s clear there’s some bad blood between the sides. But Johnstone admitted: “It’s not me, that. I don’t really get involved. I walked over just to shake someone’s hand at the end and nearly got my head took off!
“I stay very clear. But we’re a tight-knit group and if someone’s copping it we all get in and look after him. No one is throwing any but we’re all there to cover each other’s backs.
“Waney is a really fiery character. He loves the tough stuff and was a bit disappointed by some of the comments made. We used it as a bit of motivation to go out and show it wasn’t a fluke. And we were there to win.”
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