WIGAN coach Stuart Raper backed hat-trick hero Kris Radlinski for the Lancashire full-back spot after his man-of-the-match performance in the win over London.

Lance Todd Trophy winner Radlinski was in outstanding form as the Warriors crushed the Broncos at the JJB Stadium and Raper cannot see any other alternative for the Red Rose's Origin number one shirt.

Lancashire coach Ian Millward could opt for one of his own St Helens players in Paul Wellens but Raper insisted he should look no further than the Warriors' Challenge Cup hero.

Raper said: "I hope Ian gets a copy of the tape from this match.

"If he picks Wellens ahead of Radlinski I will be gobsmacked. Kris was absolutely outstanding - he is the best full-back in this country if not the world."

Raper was delighted with the Warriors' performance as they bounced back from two successive Super League defeats with Radlinski grabbing his fifth hat-trick on his 150th appearance in the competition.

Said Raper: "I thought London stuck with it and put up some resistance but we played some good footie. When we play well we know we can give ourselves the opportunity to beat any side in the competition."

"There were a lot of good individual performances and it would be hard to isolate any one player."

London coach Tony Rea revealed that the Broncos suffered a blow just before kick-off when star man Scott Cram was ruled out after fainting in the dressing room because of a virus.

But Rea refused to make anything of Cram's absence saying: "That was as bad as I've seen from us. It was a really irresponsible performance from a team that is better than that.

"All credit to Wigan they came out of the blocks well and Any Farrell gave them a great start. But at times it looked like we were feeling sorry for ourselves."

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