UK-based Wilshere In Form for PNG

John Wilshere is one of Papua New Guinea’s most experienced internationals and he is relishing the prospect of returning to Rugby League World Cup action.

Today the 30-year-old Kumuls centre three-quarter or wing is plying his trade with English Co-operative National League One side Salford City Reds where his goal scoring exploits and skills are heading their bid to reach next month’s 2008 Grand Final.

Wilshere was a member of the Kumuls squad that played in the last Rugby League World Cup in the UK during 2000 and, after leaving NRL club St George-Illawarra he has played for both Leigh Centurions and Salford in England.

In fact he was the Kumuls' leading scorer at the 2000 Finals scoring two tries and eleven goals for 30 points.

They were bracketed in the French-based Finals qualification group against: France, South Africa and Tonga and emerged from the group stage to play in the Quarter-finals when they were eliminated after a mega 22-8 tussle with Wales at Widnes.

Now he is hoping to make the PNG squad that makes the trip to Australia to take on a qualification group challenge that includes showdowns with Australia, England and New Zealand.

“I’m taking nothing for granted,” he explained. “There are a lot of good young Papuan players coming through both in Australia and PNG.

“It’ll be down to what Adrian Lam wants from his team. He could decide to back youth, you never know.

“But to be selected again for my country is a major honour and I’ll be going flat out to make the Finals in Australia.

“I’ll be contacting Adrian to see what happens next and then we can chat through what he will want from me”.
 
John’s already won 32 caps and scored 102 points for the Kumuls and he thinks that they go into their qualification match against England with nature on their side.

“We’ll be playing England in the opening game of the tournament in Townsville where it’s certain to be very hot,” he mused. “And the Papuans will certainly be more accustomed to the heat than the English players.

“But we know England will be a very good side and it’ll be a very interesting game.”

2008 is proving to be a big year in Wilshere’s career. Not only has the Alotau-born player has been called up by the Papuans, but National League One leaders Salford are hoping to celebrate their awarding of a Super League licence from 2009 until 2011 by finishing their season in style by reaching the competition’s Grand Final.

And the Papuan is the Reds’ major cutting edge as they mount their challenge because he’s running seventh in the Co-operative National League One leading scorers list for the season with 204 points having landed 75 goals in the campaign so far.

Many British observers had Wilshere marked down as a surprise kicking talent who had just emerged from the shadows. The truth is far different.

“When I played in the Queensland Cup I kicked regularly,” he said. “In fact I was the comp’s leading points scorer in two straight seasons because of my goal kicking.

“After I left the Cup competition I didn’t kick any more because I wanted to develop the rest of my game and not be known as just a goal kicker.

“I don’t think too many people in Britain knew about that side of my game. I suppose they do now”.

By John Huxley, in the UK