Tale of the unexpected enables Ferres to live World Cup dream

The Huddersfield Giants second-row earned the unexpected chance to represent his country in the forthcoming event following Gareth Hock’s controversial ejection from their Loughborough base this week.

England coach Steve McNamara showed no mercy, sending the ex-Wigan Warriors forward home for flouting an alcohol ban after Saturday’s shock loss against Italy and then missing a swimming session the following morning.

Ferres – who had travelled to their earlier South Africa training camp as a reserve – was instead promoted to the 24-man squad on Tuesday night and, remarkably, is now firmly in contention for the World Cup opener against Australia tomorrow.

He has been named in the initial 19-man squad to face the Kangaroos in Cardiff in what would be the former Bradford Bulls player’s first Test cap.

With Wigan Warriors loose forward Sean O’Loughlin failing to recover from injury in time, there is every chance Ferres could feature.

“I am absolutely delighted,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“I’ve had a lot of mixed emotions recently. It was quite hard at first being named in the squad as a reserve but knowing I wouldn’t actually be in the World Cup.

“I was really proud to be part of it all and to get the chance to go to South Africa, although I obviously knew I’d not actually play back here. But I’ve worked hard, trained hard and now it’s nice to get a bit of a reward.

“It would have been really easy just to go on holiday and take off.

“Some people might have preferred to get injuries fixed up or get away for some sun and that would be understandable.

“But once I got that call from Steve (McNamara) after our last game against Warrington I knew I wanted to be a part of all this.

“I persevered, stuck with it and it’s paid off now.”

As the fall-out from Hock’s omission continues – it appears ex-England captain James Graham has been dropped from the 19-man squad amid speculation he, too, was drinking – Ferres insists he cannot dwell on how it has all occurred.

“I’ve not given the reasons why I’ve been called up a second thought,” continued the player, who got his first real taste of England action against the Exiles in June.

“I’m just focusing on my own job and making sure I make the most of what is an incredible opportunity.

“The squad have made me really welcome since the news and it’s good to feel a full part of it all now.

“We’ve put it (Italy loss) behind us now. It probably wasn’t the ideal start to preparing for a World Cup, but it’s in the past now and we’ve had a good week’s training since.

“We’re ready for Australia.”

Ferres, 27, was unlucky not to be included in McNamara’s initial plans given his form this season.

He forced his way into the Super League Dream Team with a series of consistently high-quality performances as Huddersfield finished top for the first time in 81 years.

The club’s vice-captain has made rapid progress since joining from hometown Castleford Tigers last summer and evolved into one of the most dangerous wide runners in the competition.

Ferres could now find himself up against the revered, rugged and gritty Kangaroo back-row of Paul Gallen, Greg Bird and Sam Thaiday – three of the sport’s most abrasive characters and a baptism of fire for any international debutant.

“It would be exciting to rub shoulders with players like that – some greats who have proved their class over a number of years,” he said.

“But I’m ready to get in here and have a go with them.

“I’m still waiting to see if I’m actually playing. Hopefully, I’ll get that chance.

“To make my full England debut against the Australians in the World Cup would be immense, but I know the quality of the forwards we have in this squad.”

Regardless of the difficulties England have encountered in this most troublesome of build-ups, Ferres retains an unwavering belief they can go on and defy the odds to win a first World Cup since Great Britain in 1972.

“Definitely,” was his defiant response to that question.

“We’ve got so many good players in this squad and the calibre is pretty unreal.

“We’ve a few playing in Australia now which is perceived as the stronger competition and we’ve been really fortunate that we’ve had an injury-free squad so we’re all looking forward to it.

“So, yes, it’s definitely there and a really achievable goal everyone wants. There should be some exciting times ahead.”

Last Saturday, Ferres had been playing – and scoring – for England Knights in their comfortable rout of Samoa as a curtain-raiser to the Italy farce in Salford.

He firmly believed that would be his last game of the calendar year, but that looks almost certain to change.

“To play for England Knights was a great opportunity to pull the England jersey on again and – at that point – there was still a chance I could make the full squad,” he insisted.

“As it happened, it proved a good move.

“It proved really beneficial as I got some game time under my belt and now I’m in this squad.

“It was disappointing that – for whatever reason – Steve didn’t initially see me as a form second-row.

“But I knew, whatever happened, I’d take positives from this year and if I didn’t make it I’d just use it to look towards next season.”

Those feelings, however, are now redundant; there is plenty of life still left in this seminal campaign for Ferres. 2014 can wait.