26-10-2009 7:50 PM
Sportal
Kyle Eastmond is hoping his cameo performance for England will be enough to keep his place for the crunch clash with Australia this weekend.
The 20-year-old St Helens utility player went on for his debut 14 minutes into the second half of England's 34-12 win over France in the opening match of the Gillette Four Nations at Doncaster on Friday night.
Eastmond, who has started matches for Saints at centre, stand-off, scrum-half and wing this year, further demonstrated his versatility by taking over at full-back from Shaun Briscoe and it was from his neat kick that winger Tom Briscoe scored England's sixth and final try.
"It was a bit nerve-wracking sitting on the bench," Eastmond said. "I wanted to get out there but (coach) Tony (Smith) had warned me it could be any time and in any position."
"It was my ability to play anywhere that probably got me in the squad. It went okay for me. I was just happy that the team played a lot better in the second half which should do us good for this week's game."
"We got better as the game went on and obviously we've got another week under our belts so I think we'll come out even stronger next time."
Eastmond accepts that England will need to find some marked improvement if they are to topple tournament favourites Australia, who needed a last-minute converted try from Cameron Smith to salvage a 20-20 draw with New Zealand in their opening game in London.
That result means an England win in either of their next two matches will secure a place in the November 14 final and Eastmond is hoping to get the nod to face the Kangaroos at Wigan on Saturday.
"It has whetted the appetite," he said. "I want to be in the 17 against Australia and I want to play more but it's all about the team."
"If Tony thinks something else is better for the team, that's fair enough, we'll all back him."
England will today check on the fitness of scrum-half Richie Myler, who was left concussed by a high tackle from France centre Jean-Philippe Baile just before the end of Friday's match.
A two-man international match review panel will today decide the fate of Baile, who was sent off for the incident, and prop David Ferriol, who was placed on report for an ugly challenge on Kevin Sinfield.
France, who host the Kiwis in Toulouse on Saturday, have already ruled out prop Remi Casty for the rest of the tournament after he broke a bone in his hand at Doncaster.
New Zealand has called up South Sydney second rower Eddy Pettybourne, 21, as cover for second rower Bronson Harrison, who picked up a calf injury in Saturday's match at the Twickenham Stoop.
