Robinson hoping Wembley serves as the ideal inspiration for England

He played in the last such contest there when Great Britain were humbled 38-14 by Australia in 1997, scoring as usual in a side which included current England head coach Steve McNamara on the bench.

But it was the fleet-footed winger’s famous try two years earlier, which helped inflict a 20-16 victory over the Kangaroos in the 1995 World Cup, that provides his own highlight against the famed opponents.

“I know it was only in the pool stages but beating the Aussies at any time is a feather in your cap,” Robinson told the Yorkshire Post, ahead of this afternoon’s meeting between the two sides.

“It was such a special day; we scored four tries, I managed to get on the board and you just knew there’d be no greater feeling – to have beaten the best side in the world and on the biggest stage.

“I always remember making the trips down to Wembley as a 12 year-old and it was just such a special place to go.

“I have lots of memories of seeing the best players playing there and I dreamt of doing the same.

“Thankfully it turned out that I did on plenty of occasions in the Challenge Cup, but to do so against Australia with England just made it even better.

“It’s such a privileged position and it’s great to see the game back there again in the new stadium.”

Robinson will be in attendance to see the current England side attempt to repeat the feat in the Gillette Four Nations as part of a double-header which is hoped will help invigorate the sport and increase its profile.

“That’s a great idea from the RFL,” said the Leeds-born star, who also tasted victory over the Kangaroos there with Great Britain in 1994.

“We’ve got to have some vision because if we don’t rugby league will go backwards.

“This is a positive step with the inclusion of Wales and their game against the Kiwis while taking the international game back to Wembley is ideal.”

The former Wigan wideman experienced the magnitude of international rugby union after switching codes, winning the World Cup with England in 2003 and heading out on tour with the British Lions.

He believes the sport needs a thriving international game and today’s venture will help boost their chances of making ground.

“I look back now at my international career in rugby league and over a seven year period I didn’t actually play that many games,” he said, having represented England just seven times and Great Britain on 12 occasions.

“Playing the Aussies is as demanding as it gets so they need as much help as possible.

“The more games the better in achieving that and you can see they are trying to build it up.

“Steve McNamara is getting the players for longer which will certainly help.

“The more time they can spend together the better as players need to get used to playing at such a high level.

“For years I was saying we needed to take on a Rest of the World team.

“Guys would finish the league off and just start up with internationals straight away but there needed to be a bridge between the two.

“So, I‘m pleased to see what’s happened with the Exiles and hopefully more of that sort of thing can be encouraged,

“There’s some very exciting players in all the Four Nations teams and having this double header is a great way to showcase the sport.”

Back in 1995, England returned to Wembley after that opening win to face Australia again in the World Cup final.

They were edged out 16-8 and Robinson – who has launched his own clothing line since retiring – remembers it just as vividly as the earlier win.

“It‘s certainly not a great place as a loser,” he said.

“You never forget walking out of that tunnel filled with all the expectancy and pressure but also a real sense of excitement because you are there at the famous Wembley.

“Players all over the world want to play there and they will all have those feelings this weekend.

“But it was an emotional rollercoaster in 1995. To have beaten the Aussies in the pool stages and then to go back there and lose the final like we did was just heartbreaking.

“We didn’t lose by much but it was no consolation.

“Having beaten them earlier I remember thinking ‘We really can win a World Cup final here’.

“But they always had fantastic players, like Andrew Johns who was just a legend and won man-of-the-match that day, and then Steve Menzies who, remarkably, is still playing today.

“You know you can’t switch off against them.

“In the Test series, we’d always lose 2-1, often losing out in that last Test when they’d just pip us at the post.

“When you look at the players they have had over the years, there has been some fantastic talent and, even now, so much strength in depth.

“England have to get into them from the off on Saturday otherwise Darren Lockyer will just sit there in his armchair directing, but every player has to be on their game.”

Robinson, 37, is intrigued to see how England full-back Sam Tomkins – rated the most exciting British talent to emerge since Robinson himself – will fare against the Kangaroos.

“One thing we need to have is gamebreakers, guys who can cause problems, and Sam certainly can along with Rangi Chase,” he said.

“He’s done tremendously well. He’s still a young lad and has got a lot to learn but the way he’s going there’s no doubt about it he’ll go down as one of the best.

“Reputations are built up though – you’re not a legend after playing for only two years.

“It has to be done over 10-15 years and that’s what he needs to do. It will be great seeing him up against the Aussies though.”

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