{"id":188682,"date":"2025-10-09T18:41:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T18:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/188682\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T18:41:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T18:41:10","slug":"jake-connor-opens-up-on-his-england-chances-shaun-wane-chats-and-what-he-could-add-to-the-ashes-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/188682\/","title":{"rendered":"Jake Connor opens up on his England chances, Shaun Wane chats and what he could add to the Ashes series"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jake\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Newly-crowned Steve Prescott Man of Steel Jake Connor has urged England boss Shaun Wane: Let me loose against the Aussies.<\/p>\n

He topped a brilliant season for Leeds Rhinos<\/a> when winning the sport\u2019s most prestigious individual honour on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

But gifted half-back Connor looks increasingly likely to still miss out on the Ashes Test series which kicks off later this month.<\/p>\n

He hasn\u2019t ever played for Wane since the ex-Wigan boss took over the national job from Wayne Bennett in 2020.<\/p>\n

Connor, undoubtedly one of the most skilful players of his generation, has struggled for consistency at times during that period with previous clubs Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants.<\/p>\n

But he has ironed that out this year under Brad Arthur in his first season at Headingley, taking his game to new levels when producing a raft of stellar displays which resulted in him lifting the Man of Steel.<\/p>\n

Connor beat Hull KR half-back Mikey Lewis \u2013 a certainty in Wane\u2019s squad \u2013 and Wigan\u2019s Aussie full-back Jai Field to the main prize and it seems incredulous that there won\u2019t be space for him in England\u2019s 24-man squad when it is named on Monday.<\/p>\n

He hasn\u2019t given up hope and Wane does always state he\u2019ll pick on form but does the creative force believe he\u2019s done enough to warrant a spot?<\/p>\n

Connor, who produced 30 try assists this term, said: \u201cYes, I think I have. Obviously, everyone has their own opinions.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut everyone has always asked for that consistency from me. And I\u2019ve been able to deliver that this year and tighten some stuff up on my game, improve on a lot of things and I feel I\u2019ve done that throughout the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s obviously my best year to date. I\u2019ve just improved massively this year and I\u2019d love to get out there against the Aussies with the form I think I\u2019ve been in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still a massive dream of mine. I\u2019ve had a taste of it before [playing for England] and kind of know what it takes to play for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve loved every minute of playing for my country. It\u2019s still a massive dream and always has been. I\u2019d love to represent England again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Serious About Rugby League has launched a brand new podcast which can be watched in full on our YouTube channel here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Does he think Wane will pick him?<\/p>\n

Connor replied: \u201cI\u2019m not sure. Hopefully I\u2019m in with a chance like everyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019d like to think my form is recognised and hopefully I still have chance of representing my country.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we\u2019ll see Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Connor\u2019s last international caps were on the disastrous Great Britain tour in 2019, before that he always delivered for Bennett in England colours.<\/p>\n

He scored four tries in five Tests in 2018, featuring in a series win over New Zealand and beating France, playing half-back, centre and from the bench.<\/p>\n

Clearly, Connor is a far more rounded player now and his craft and guile could be just what\u2019s needed if England are to have any chance of breaking down the revered Kangaroos.<\/p>\n

On what\u2019s stopped Wane picking him so far, Connor said: \u201cWe spoke briefly back in 2021. Brett Hodgson was in charge [of Hull FC]. Back then I felt I was in good form but I didn\u2019t manage to force my way in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spoke briefly before the Combined Nations game \u2013 I ended up playing for them against England \u2013 and that was about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmittedly, my form hasn\u2019t been too good since then [until this year] and I can\u2019t argue with that. But hopefully I\u2019ve put myself in a good position where I\u2019m being thought about.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore, it probably was just the consistency. Back then I was playing well but I still had a lot of things to work on like my effort areas. I feel like I\u2019ve improved in that side of the game this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith England, we\u2019ve got class players across the board. But I think, with me, I provide that utility value.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know other people can as well. I can play in numerous positions, though, and I feel I can excel in them as well. That could be a massive help in the Ashes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The move to Leeds this season has certainly been the making of him.<\/p>\n

Connor conceded: \u201cI think I\u2019ve improved pretty much everything in my game.<\/p>\n

\u201cBesides all the skill and flair you\u2019ve always seen in the past \u2013 I\u2019ve still got that \u2013 but improved my efforts. I\u2019ve definitely improved my defence, my physicality, the work on my body as well \u2013 in previous years I\u2019ve kind of always got injured towards the back end of the year and not been in good nick with my body,<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s improved my game massively, just being out there feeling fresh and not having to worry about my body has definitely helped my game.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll off the ball stuff, the stuff we do at training, all the fitness and technical stuff. Grixy [assistant Scott Grix] puts a lot of time and effort into stuff off the ball \u2013 the kick escort, the kick chase \u2013 and that\u2019s really enhanced my game as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel better than ever. And I\u2019d love to now have a crack at the Aussies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Newly-crowned Steve Prescott Man of Steel Jake Connor has urged England boss Shaun Wane: Let me loose against…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":188683,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-188682","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-rugby","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188682"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188682\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/188683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}