Elliott Whitehead to bow out of Test duty after securing sign-off he wants
ELLIOTT Whitehead has the ending his glittering Test career deserves – he will go out a winner.
For after Saturday, that will be it in an England shirt.
The back rower extended his representative stint by 12 months after the national side’s World Cup semi-final heartbreak to Samoa.
Now this series with Tonga is wrapped up on home turf, Canberra Raiders star Whitehead will call time after the third Test at Leeds’ Headingley, just down the road from where he grew up in Bradford.
When he hangs up his boots completely, do not expect him to return home either – he hopes to get a job with the NRL side.
“Finishing on that note after Samoa wouldn’t have been how I wanted to finish my England career,” said Whitehead, 34.
“But winning this series has put the icing on the cake and this will definitely be my last.
“I thought I’d be done last year but I spoke to Shaun in mid-season and he’d like me to come and play.
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“And you can’t argue with 2-0. There have been a lot of new faces over the last couple of years and the boys that have come in have really stepped up – I still keep an eye on Super League but there are players I didn’t know much about!
“Tonga are a tough team with some great individuals, so to go 2-0 up is very pleasing.”
Matty Ashton had the Test debut that dreams are made of as the Warrington winger’s two tries put England on the way to a series victory.
Harry Smith’s three goals made sure Tolutau Koula’s score in what was a scratchy second half by Shaun Wane’s side counted for little.
Now to complete the whitewash in a place that as a born and bred Bradfordian should be low on his wish list.
However, Whitehead has been in Australia for so long, any local rivalry has dimmed.
“There’s a rivalry between the cities,” he added. “Mainly because they’re right next to each other. You always want to beat your neighbour and be better than them.
“But I’ve been away for 11 or 12 years now, so I’m not too sure what it looks like now – I’m a Bradford lad at heart, though and I always will be.
“Rugby-wise, it’s probably dipped over the last five or six years with Bradford not being in Super League but it was massive for years.
“Hopefully they can get back and that rivalry will be there again.
“But our job’s not done. We want to win 3-0 and really put our stamp on this series.
“To get 3-0 would put a statement out for ourselves.”
Wane seemed more bothered about silencing Tonga’s moans about the St Helens pitch they lost the first Test on and claims his side was allowed to slow play down.
And feelings ran high after the game as Chris Hill – a year older than Whitehead – had a row with the islanders’ skipper Addin Fonua-Blake.
“He was just offering me my pension for when I retire,” the prop said. “He’s a winner at the end of the day and emotion spills over – it’s all fun and games.
“What they said was just tit-for-tat. They did our speech for us – we’ll play them on the back field on Saturday if they want!”
Tonga insist they will not slump to a 3-0 loss as their pride will not allow it.
And now former St Helens ace Will Hopoate will spearhead their attempt to avoid a whitewash, saying: “We’re disappointed with how it is but we’re not throwing in the towel.
“Representing Tonga is something I don’t take lightly.”