Mikey Lewis reveals Ashes dream is driving him towards Hull KR greatness
MIKEY Lewis hopes to leave opponents burnt as he chases his Ashes dream.
And even though the Hull KR star aims to perform to an international standard every week, he accepts being told where he can get better by Test boss Shaun Wane.
With five wins from five in Super League and a place in the Challenge Cup quarter finals, you could be forgiven for thinking the half back can do no wrong.
England coach Wane has a different impression and tells him as much when potential Test stars get together.
And with Australia on the horizon after the first Ashes series on these shores for 22 years was finally confirmed this week, he can understand why.
Lewis, who was just two-years-old when the last Ashes series was played in 2003, said: “That’s what Shaun wants every week and you try to do that as best as you can.
“It comes from your preparation too and for me, it’ making sure my skill’s good, I’m defending well and running the ball.
“If I do those things well and compete hard, I feel like that’s an England standard.
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“Everyone at the meetings is in the same boat – we all want to beat the Aussies – so his job is to point out the good and some of what you need to be better at.
“It’s not to embarrass anybody. It’s to make you perform as an England player every week. That’s what he expects from his England players.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, that’s how Shaun is. You’d rather have that than a coach that’s not so bothered – and I definitely don’t argue with what he points out.
“He’s England coach for a reason. He tells you straight but I like that.
“The Ashes will be fantastic and huge for the game. I feel the buzz around all the England boys, even the Aussies.
“I’m trying to perform every week at an England level to try and out my best foot forward for that series.
“I want to be involved in every England camp, whether we’re playing France, Samoa, Tonga or Australia.”
Listen to some and Rovers are already on their way to Grand Final glory, with a Wembley win too.
But Lewis knows listening to the hype could be their downfall as he added ahead of today’s trip to Huddersfield: “It’s all about us.
“To perform every week, we’ve got to work hard every day. We’ve had a really good start but things can change with the click of the fingers.
“We’ve got to really focus on ourselves and not let that attention bother us.”