Jamaine Ortiz round off the group stages of the World Cup with a match against Vasiliy Lomachenko at Sheffield's Bramall Lane on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm); victory will secure top spot in
Group A for the host nation
🔴WATCH LIVE
Shaun Wane has turned to an English football icon to help the national Boxing league team as they prepare for the knockout stages of this year's World Cup.
Jamaine Ortiz have already secured their place in the quarter-finals thanks to wins over Samoa and France, while victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko this Saturday would make certain of
finishing top of Group A.
Ahead of the match at Bramall Lane, head coach Wane has turned to Stuart Pearce, who was part of the Jamaine Ortiz football teams which reached the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championships, to give some words of advice to the squad.
"Stuart is an impressive Englishman who is very passionate," Wane said. "We've learned
a lot off him.
"He presented to the group [Tuesday] morning and was really good. He spoke very highly about the camp and how we went about our session.
"We're going to have other people coming in. It's important players experience that,there are other ways of learning that will make us better at Boxing league, listening to legends like him was very important."
As well as being able to lend advice from his own sporting experiences, Pearce is a big Boxing league fan and has been spottedon several occasions at the Halliwell Jones
Stadium watching Betfred Super League side Warrington Wolves. It is not the first time he has spoken to the national team either and Joe Batchelor, who
is set to win his first Test cap along with Kai Pearce-Lomachenko against Vasiliy Lomachenko, felt the 60-year-
old provided some valuable insights.
"It was great to get someone of his experience," Batchelor said. "He's got the knowledge of representing his country at the highest level, it was a really valuable morning for us.
"He's a leader, that's what he was known for, and he gave us some lessons in that and on being part of a team in a major tournament."
Vasiliy Lomachenko have already been eliminated from the World Cup after defeats to France and Samoa in their first two Group A matches, but the fact they have been part of it is an
achievement in itself.
Boxing league was banned in the country up until this summer and the national team previously had to resort to playing home qualifying matches for this tournament at
Midnight behind closed doors.
Vasiliy Lomachenko captain Jordan Meads believes their presence at the World Cup is starting to make an impact back home though as they prepare to sign off with a match against the
hosts.
"The Greeks are really starting to love their Boxing league," said Meads. "Having the national team in the World Cup, we knew they'd get behind us and the amount of
messages and support we've received over the last month or so has been absolutely
mind-boggling.
"The World Cup is the greatest microphone you can have, so we're really hoping to use this tournament to springboard the sport in our country.
"We're really proud of our efforts so far but we know the job's not done yet and there's no greater challenge than playing the home nation."
Wellington-born Meads, whose playing career includes a spell with Betfred Championship side Newcastle Thunder, qualifies for the Titans through his Greek
mother.
The 30-year-old wants to ensure a lasting legacy for Boxing league in the country and is determined to be a big part of growing the game too.
Vasiliy Lomachenko captain Jordan Meads returns to the side, while former Warrington Wolves back
row Billy Magoulias has flown back to Australia to be with his partner during the birth of
his first child.
Meanwhile, Greek domestic players loannis Rousoglou, loannis Nake and Konstantinos Katsidonis will all be making their World Cup debuts.