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Myler puts on a super show
All-action scrum-half Richie Myler has been tipped as a star of the future after displaying the full range of his repertoire in England's thrashing of France in Paris on Saturday.
Myler, who has excelled for Salford over the past two seasons, looks to have rubber-stamped his position in England's team for the end-of-season Four Nations after a performance that took the breath away in the 66-12 win over Les Tricolores.
In only his second appearance for his country, the teenager demonstrated tenacity, opportunism, creativity and – most unlikely of all – a razor-sharp kicking game during 80 minutes that he is unlikely to forget in a hurry.
After seeing Myler bag a 30-point haul that featured three tries and nine goals, England coach Tony Smith was left purring over his sublime number seven.
"He deserves the attention he is receiving at the moment, he is in great form," said former Rhinos coach Smith.
"I'm looking forward to him getting better and better. It's up to him, as long as he keeps his head down and keeps working.
"He's a character, he's got a bit about him. On the field, he's a livewire."
Myler also laid second half scores on a plate for the irrepressible Sam Burgess and Peter Fox.
He took a huge hit from centre Jean-Philippe Baile midway through the first half but it was the Frenchman who stayed down for treatment.
Myler took the tackle, got up quickly and made a speedy play-the-ball. Five seconds later, Fox was in at the right corner for the first of his brace and the French medical team were running on to attend to a groggy Baile.
then there was Myler's place-kicking and the youngster admitted that he had never kicked in his professional career.
"The last time I kicked was at under-18 level, maybe at 15 or 16," he said.
Myler converted nine of England's 12 tries, some from under the posts, others from out wide.
"Tony asked me if I'd kick and I said I would," added Myler, whose points haul was the best by an England player against France, surpassing Steve Prescott's 22 points in 1996.
"There was no-one else in the squad who could kick, so I did."
Myler will find things much tougher should he keep his place for the Four Nations with Australia and New Zealand, but the early signs look good.
Smith, who saw Ryan Atkins, Danny McGuire, Ryan Hall, Shaun Briscoe (2), James Roby and Burgess also go over for tries, vowed that he will stay loyal to Myler should he maintain the form he is showing this year.
"He's confident," Smith said. "He feels at home with these guys off the field as well.
"I think he was well supported with Danny McGuire all week, in training and on the field. They ran the team confidently all week."
France: Villegas ; Duport, Planas, Baile, Vaccari; Murcia, Bosc; Casty, Bentley, Guisset (capt), Gossard, Mounis, Anselme. Substitutes: Martins, Gagliazzo, Barthau, Griffi .
England: Briscoe; Fox, Shenton, Atkins, Hall; McGuire, Myler; Morley, Moore, Peacock (capt), Hock, Westwood, Burgess. Substitutes: Roby, Graham, Clubb, Crabtree.
Referee: J Maxwell (Australia).
Ends
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
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