Matt Peet helped save Liam Marshall’s career, reveals Shaun Wane

Wigan head coach Matt Peet helped winger Liam Marshall turn his career around, according to Shaun Wane who has just handed him his first England call-up.

The Wigan winger has scored 72 tries in 99 appearances for his hometown club since making his first team debut in 2017.

Marshall, 25, has won his first England senior call-up after a fine start to the season.

Wane, who named his 30-man training squad on Tuesday, was full of praise for Marshall who turned his career around when at one stage it was looking likely that he wouldn’t play for the club’s first team.

He said: “It’s a great success story. He was very lucky to stay at Wigan. We had a few run-ins when he was young and he could have gone the wrong way but (current coach) Matty Peet saved his career. He stuck with him and helped him.

“Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength and he’s one of our best professionals now.

“He was very emotional when I told him he was in the squad and that’s the reaction I want. I’m a very proud Englishman and I want the players to feel the same. I need to know they’re desperate to play for their country.”

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But Wane hasn’t ruled anyone out of his plans ahead of this year’s World Cup.

He said: “It is very, very open. The door is never shut.

“I will make changes throughout the year. It’s going to be very fluid so the players in the squad will not feel comfortable.

“You can go out of the squad as easy as you come into it. It’s about having high standards throughout the year.”

Wane will lead England against the Combined Nations All Stars again in June.

They will also play Fiji in a warm-up match just before they kick off their World Cup campaign against Samoa at St James’ Park in Newcastle.

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