Blacko rugby league star Herbie Farnworth opened the scoring for England and assisted another as they cruised to victory in their first Test against a star-studded Samoa side.

Herbie, who left East Lancashire for Australia’s east coast to pursue his rugby league dream, crossed for one try as England beat Samoa at the Brick Community Stadium in Wigan 34-18.

The former Blacko Primary School pupil, 24, who left Blacko for Brisbane was making his fifth appearance for England after debuting at last year’s World Cup.

The game in Wigan – the first of a two-Test series against last year’s World Cup runners-up – was a bruising encounter with England showing some great handling to rack up six tries.

Farnworth opened the scoring after eight minutes, latching onto the end of a smart blind-side play to beat two defenders.

Matty Ashton scored soon after following another flowing attack down the left, before captain George Williams added a third following a smart run and pass from centre Harry Newman, crossing just beside the posts.

Samoan winger Deine Mariner crossed late from long range after an interception to get the islanders on the scoreboard.

England needed just nine minutes to score again in the second half, with Farnworth in the thick of it again, cutting through the middle of the Samoan defence following a superb George Williams break to lay a try on a plate for Victor Radley with a deft flick pass.

Samoa responded five minutes later with some audacious offloading sending Mariner in for his second, before England crossed again just before the hour mark as Ashton bagged a brace.

2024 Man of Steel Mikey Lewis stretched England’s lead, starting and finishing a break down England’s right flank after 72 minutes, with Harry Smith adding his fifth conversion of the afternoon.

Samoa’s Gordon Cham Tun Kong added a consolation score for Samoa with less than five minutes remaining following some sloppy handling from England to close the day’s scoring.

Farnworth’s England selection came following a stellar season in the National Rugby League in his first season with his new club the Dolphins, making 20 appearances and scoring eight tries as he was named in the NRL Team of the Season for the second year in a row.

He moved Down Under to sign for the Brisbane Broncos as a teenager having played his junior rugby for Wigan St Patrick’s, and was also on the books at Manchester United before focusing on rugby league.

At the Broncos he played 74 games across four seasons, crossing for 34 tries and narrowly losing the 2023 NRL Grand Final.

England take on Samoa again at Headingley Stadium, Leeds, on Saturday, November 2, hoping to win the Test series 2-0.