Last updated 15:59, Wednesday, 18 June 2008

CONGRATULATIONS to Gregg McNally on his selection for England Under-18s Academy side and well done to Whitehaven for sticking to a progressive youth policy for helping make it happen.

I doubt whether any Haven player has had a more meteoric rise to prominence – to be called up for international duty at junior professional level after only two first team games is some going.

It also takes some doing but that’s how outstanding the 17-year-old sixth former proved to be in successive home wins over Salford and Featherstone – not just playing well but being noticed.

England Academy head coach Basil Richards was obviously among those mightily impressed.

It also says a lot for the power of televised rugby league.

Gregg made his sensational hat-trick debut before the Sky TV cameras.Would he still have been picked for England but for the fact that so many were able to marvel at his display, including a few Super League outfits who continue to show much interest?

No matter, it’s a selection on merit and the chance for Gregg to measure his potential against the near invincible Australian Schoolboys or Junior Kangaroos.

Without Sky’s decision to televise NL1 games, Gregg’s huge potential, and that of others, may have taken longer to be noticed but his selection also signals a clear message that exceptional talent will come through at whatever level – as it clearly is being done at Whitehaven.

Gregg will compete for an England place on tour with Super League’s best young talent and it’s only right that opportunity has knocked in such a high exposure way.

And, if a lot more of Haven and Town games had been televised down the years, I wonder how many more players might have made the international arena. Far fewer perhaps would now be carrying the mantle of ‘best uncapped player’.

Rob Purdham was chosen more recently for England Under-21s but, until then, there was a big gap since Arnold Walker, Milton Huddart, Dave Lightfoot, Mark Beckwith, Jimmy Dalton and Vince Gribbin were getting international recognition.

Phil Kitchin actually kick-started his illustrious career by captaining GB Under-18s and is a big admirer of young McNally.

This remains a comparative backwater particularly with the gulf between NL1 and Super League, so when a promising youngster comes along, he really has to be exceptional to get recognition alongside counterparts playing at a higher level. And make no mistake about it, young Gregg McNally is a gem.

Full marks to Haven’s own Academy system for unearthing him and others but, at the end of the day, it’s all down to natural ability and developing it.

I imagine Gregg’s head is in whirl – it’s been a veritable whirlwind of events – but his head certainly won’t be in the clouds for long. Not until he boards that plane for Brisbane at least!

It’s a bit of a double edged sword. Absolutely great for Gregg, also a reflected honour for the club and all those involved in his development. But the downside is that Haven will just have to make do without their X-factor for four matches at a crucial stage in the season.

Just as it was looking as though Gregg might not swap Haven’s No 7 jersey for a month’s trial at Leeds, something infinitely better and irresistible comes up.

He has the chance to play in three more Haven games before the start of the Australian adventure (on July 16) but coach Ged Stokes, who can take credit for giving him his big chance, has to start thinking of yet another half-back permutation just when the McNally- Manihera combination was becoming a contrasting force.

It’s fortunate that Carl Rudd is on his way back with the likely option of reverting to stand-off and Manihera switching to scrum-half, with Leroy Joe, also returning, in reserve somewhere. Are young Marc Bainbridge and Martin Gambles in the first team cold?

It’s a tough test at Halifax on Sunday but Mr Stokes certainly knows the way to subdue Haven’s nemesis Graham Holroyd: keep him on the back foot. Easier said than done perhaps but it means Whitehaven’s forwards must get on the front foot to give Manihera and McNally the chance to continue weaving magic.

Haven will have to match up physically and defensively but, as Ged said before the Salford game: ‘I always expect to win’. He says the same about this Sunday at The Shay.