Although he could not help Canberra Raiders to a finals finish in the NRL, Morgan Smithies certainly made an impression during his debut campaign down under - including on Samoa captain and Penrith Panthers superstar Jarome Luai.

The Wigan academy product and 2023 Grand Final winner made 24 appearances for the Australian capital outfit this year, and is back home preparing for the two-match Test series against Samoa.

Four-time NRL Premiership winner Luai will lead the 2022 World Cup finalists during their tour of England, named alongside some of the game’s biggest names in Jeremiah Nanai, Anthony Milford and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

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Jarome Luai will captain Samoa for the two-match Test series

placeholder image — Jarome Luai will captain Samoa for the two-match Test series

Smithies, 23, made his international debut in the 64-0 mid-season over France in 2023, and will be hoping to face the likes of Luai in Wigan and Leeds and earn more international caps under Shaun Wane.

“Morgan has got a bit of dog in him, he likes to get in your face; I like that in any player,” Luai said.

“It’s what the game is about. He loves getting his hands dirty. He’s definitely a player that players would love to play with; I think that’s the greatest compliment you can get as a rugby league player.”

A sold-out crowd attended the World Club Challenge between Wigan Warriors and Penrith Panthers at the Brick Community Stadium earlier in February, although stand-off Luai was forced to watch from the sidelines due to injury as Matt Peet’s outfit claimed a 16-12 victory.

And the New South Wales representative, who is heading to Wests Tigers next season on a five-year deal, is hoping to experience that same atmosphere on Sunday - with officials anticipating a gate of 15,000 on Sunday.

“I sort of compared that [World Club Challenge] atmosphere to State of Origin,” the 27-year-old said.

“A hostile environment is something that I love and that players thrive in. I hope we get one of those receptions this weekend, because I know it’ll help bring the best out of our team.”

Asked what he expects from Wane’s England, which includes five Wigan stars, he continued: “I just expect greatness from their whole team. They’ve got a few NRL players that played really well in the competition, there’s a lot of players to deal with and everyone needs to be at their best to win these two games.”