Morgan: England will come at us up front

Kangaroos half Michael Morgan expects England to target Australia in the middle and use their size when the two sides clash in London.

England and Australia meet at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday, with England needing victory to prevent elimination from the Four Nations. 
 
Morgan believes the hosts will provide a challenge to his team, especially with their NRL-based forward pack plus Chris Hill and John Bateman.

“They’re a big side so my guess would be they’ll try and come at us through the middle using their size,” he said.

“They have a good set of halves and some big outside backs that can finish their sets really well and get their sets started, so it’ll definitely be a challenge.
 
“I watched a little bit of their game last week, they started really well and the Kiwis they’ll keep turning up and working hard for each other.

“By the sounds of it they did that [against Scotland], they fell behind quite early but were able to stay in the game and finish well.”

Morgan expects his fellow Aussie Wayne Bennett will give the England team a boost.
 
“I think so, he’ll give their side a lot of confidence,” he said.

“I guess he’s the type of coach that players enjoy playing for so no doubt he’ll have them motivated and wanting to do well.”

Morgan started in the halves alongside Jonathan Thurston against New Zealand on Saturday, with Cooper Cronk rested.

Cronk and Thurston have the first-choice halfback partnership for Australia and Queensland for some time, with Morgan coming off the bench.

The young Cowboys player admits he is unsure what his role will be against England with Cooper coming back into calculations.

“I wouldn’t have a clue to be honest, at the moment I’m really not too sure,” he said.

“I’ll wait and see what Mal has in mind and whether or not I get an opportunity anywhere in the team.

“[If I do] I’m going to be over the moon and I’ll try and make the most of it.”