ENGLAND demonstrated their strength in depth with a record-breaking 74-0 rout of Wales in their World Cup warm-up match at Doncaster's Keepmoat stadium last night.
Even without the contingent of Leeds and St Helens players who will dominate coach Tony Smith's first-choice line-up, England had too much class for a young and inexperienced Welsh side playing under new coach John Dixon for the first time.
It was not the strenuous work-out Smith might have wanted but it was a chance for his eight "ring-rusty" World Cup squad players to gain match practice and for others to force their way into the coach's thinking in the event of injury.
Prop Stuart Fielden demonstrated his right to be in the standby squad while a host of others went some way towards justifying their inclusion in Smith's final 24-man squad.
Man of the match Rob Purdham, who contributed 20 points with a try and eight goals, led the way, closely followed by hooker Mickey Higham, winger Mark Calderwood and second rower Gareth Hock in pushing their claims for places in the team to face Papua New Guinea in Townsville in a fortnight.
Of the fringe men, it was a night to remember for Harlequins' London-born debutants Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Tony Clubb, who both marked the occasion with tries, and youngster Richard Myler, who enhanced his fast-growing reputation with an exciting display.
The 18-year-old was chosen, in the absence of any specialist back-up to scrum-half Rob Burrow, to gain a taste of international rugby league and he did not disappoint.
"He's going to be an international player of the future and he showed that," said Smith.
Two-try Martin Gleeson, captain for the night in the absence of Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley, played only half the match after feeling an ankle twinge while Calderwood went off early in the second half with a dead leg. Both players will board the flight for Brisbane on Monday.
Dixon insisted he was not disappointed by the final score, pointing out that England lost 64-12 to Australia in 2002, and insisted that while his opponents focus on this year's World Cup, he has his sights set on 2013. "We can only grow from here," he said. "It's a starting point."
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