Sam Tomkins has said that he hopes New Zealand retain their Rugby League World Cup crown against Australia at Old Trafford this afternoon.
It will be the third successive final played out between the Southern Hemisphere rivals, and the former Wigan Warriors star believes that Sonny Bill Williams will have a big part to play.
"I'm not usually jealous, but I will envy Australia and New Zealand," Tomkins, who will soon join NRL side New Zealand Warriors, wrote in The Mirror. "I've played in big finals at Old Trafford and I would have loved to be involved in the World Cup final.
"England were 20 seconds away from getting there when we were caught by New Zealand at Wembley a week ago, and although the memories of our semi-final defeat are still raw, I hope the Kiwis retain the trophy.
"Rugby league, rugby union, heavyweight boxing – everything [Williams] touches turns to gold. One thing about Sonny Bill is that he doesn't belong on any undercard and if New Zealand are to upset the odds today, he will be in the thick of it."
Williams was voted the Rugby League International Federation Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in Manchester on Wednesday.
Michael Penkman
