ENGLAND coach Steve McNamara is confident the “bad blood” between Leeds prop Ryan Bailey and St Helens back rower Jon Wilkin will not spill over into his training camp ahead of the Four Nations Series.

Wilkin hit out at Bailey for his post-match celebrations at Saturday’s Super League Grand Final, accusing him of crossing the line by taunting the younger members of the Saints team beaten 32-16 by the Rhinos.

“I thought 16 of their players were possibly the most gracious people in victory and lovely fellas as well,” Wilkin said.

“But the way Ryan Bailey behaved – I’m embarrassed for him as a human being. He’s playing a man’s game but I’ve never seen such a child play a man’s game before in my life.

“Watch the tapes – he celebrates, he whoops, he squares up to our younger lads. That’s no way for a professional sportsman to conduct himself.”

Wilkin could now find himself lining up alongside Bailey after both players were named in McNamara’s 24-man squad for the forthcoming matches against Wales, Australia and New Zealand. They will go into camp at Loughborough University on Wednesday to prepare for next week’s warm-up match against France and McNamara says he will broach the subject with them then.

“I think Ryan Bailey has probably got under the skin of more players than anybody else in the competition and that’s part of his attraction,” McNamara told a news conference at the South Leeds Stadium. Jon was disappointed and things get said in the heat of the moment after a game. I remember playing with Graeme Bradley who was probably the most hated man ever to play rugby league but, once people got to work with him, they had a different opinion of him.

“I can’t see an issue with it but it’s something we’ll speak about when we get together.”