Ahead of the semi-finals, we take a look at the wingers who have been setting the World Cup alight with their try-scoring exploits; Australia face New Zealand in Leeds on Friday (kick-off 7.30pm) followed by England taking on Samoa in London the following day (2.30pm)
Thursday 10 November 2022 16:53, UK
When Tommy Makinson crossed for his fifth try of the afternoon in England's Rugby League World Cup quarter-final against Papua New Guinea, he achieved something no other player had done for the team before in a Test match.
The 31-year-old's display saw him break an individual record which team-mate Dom Young had equalled with four tries a week earlier in the 94-4 demolition of Greece, underlining just how prolific the pair have been during the host nation's run to the semi-finals.
England's record try-scorer Ryan Hall, whose tally now stands at 39 tries in 40 appearances, has proven he still remains a potent threat out wide in his two appearances so far at this year's World Cup as well.
Indeed, the presence of those two is driving Makinson on to ensure he remains at the forefront of head coach Shaun Wane's mind after a year which saw him score 22 tries in St Helens' Betfred Super League title-winning campaign.
"Shaun selected three wingers who are all world-class and I've got to work hard to get into the team," Makinson, who also scored a try when lining up at full-back in the group-stage victory over Greece, said.
"It pushes you every day - Dom Young is class, Ryan Hall is brilliant. Not only that, but it's what you want to produce for the group and if you don't someone will take your shoes.
"That's what elite sport is. I'd like to think it's the same for Dom and Ryan as well."
Young and Makinson have emerged as Wane's preferred outlets on the wing for England and will no doubt be two players Samoa are working out how to contain in Saturday's semi-final at the Emirates Stadium.
Friday night in Leeds will see New Zealand posed with a similar conundrum when they take on Australia, who possess the tournament's leading try-scorer so far and reputedly the fastest man in rugby league in the form of Josh Addo-Carr.
A day before Makinson's haul against Papua New Guinea, Addo-Carr was also running in five tries as the Kangaroos saw off Lebanon 48-4 to take his tally to 11 in the tournament so far - one shy of the record for tries at a single World Cup set by team-mate Valentine Holmes five years ago.
The Canterbury Bulldogs winger, nicknamed 'The Fox', was just one short of Holmes' single-game record of six set against Fiji in the 2017 semi-finals too, and Australia head coach Mal Meninga has been delighted with what the 27-year-old has brought to the reigning champions' squad.
"He's been terrific for us, not only on the field but off it," Meninga said. "He's great to be around.
"He does what he needs to do which is score tries. He's had an up and down year, but the real Fox is out at the moment."
Like all wingers in the modern game though, there is more to what they do than just scoring tries - as much as that remains a large part of the role.
Makinson has the added threat of being a reliable goal-kicker too, yet it is the work he does in carrying the ball out from inside his own 20-metre zone early in the tackle count and under the high ball in defence as well as attack which is just as appreciated by his team-mates.
"Tommy is a player who will get accolades for scoring tries and kicking goals, but it's the other things he does in the backfield like the tough carries and things wingers aren't known for," England captain Sam Tomkins said.
"The modern-day winger can't just score tries anymore, they've got to be good coming out of their own end and nobody carries the ball as well as Tommy does.
"He'll be humble about it, as you would expect, but when Tommy looks back on it in years' time, he'll be proud of what he did against Papua New Guinea."
But while Makinson was one of St Helens' stand-out players as they claimed a historic fourth-straight Super League Grand Final triumph, over in the NRL it was not the best of years for Addo-Carr despite him scoring 16 tries in 23 appearances.
The Bulldogs missed out on the play-offs after finishing 12th, while Addo-Carr was left out of New South Wales' squad for this year's State of Origin series. However, the former Wests Tigers and Melbourne Storm man is loving life as part of Australia's World Cup defence.
"I've moved on from it, Origin wasn't my time," Addo-Carr said. "I'm really grateful for the opportunity Mal and the coaching staff have given me.
"I'm enjoying my footy at the moment, I feel we've got something special coming into camp, I've felt the bond and I'm just loving every minute."
