JAMAICA director of rugby Romeo Monteith says people laughed at his idea of forming a rugby league team in the Caribbean but he is confident of having the last laugh.

Monteith established the game in his homeland in 2004 and - after two failed attempts at qualifying for the 2013 and 2017 tournaments - his efforts were rewarded 12 months ago when the Reggae Warriors beat the United States in Jacksonville to book their place for 2021 in England.

Monteith saw his emerging team take another step towards their goal when they took on England Knights at Headingley on Sunday and he was encouraged by their performance in a 32-6 defeat in front of a 7,113 crowd.

Among the Jamaican side were Bradford-born prop Ross Peltier - who is joining Doncaster from the Bulls - former Bulls player Jon Magrin and new Keighley Cougars signing Mo Agoro.

"It was one of the best facilities we've played in, the crowd was wonderful and the occasion was really special," he said. "It inspired the boys and this is a really good build-up going into next year and then 2021.

"It was a good rehearsal, giving the boys an opportunity two years out to realise where are and what we need to do."

Monteith was able to call on a smattering of Super League players, including Michael Lawrence (Huddersfield) and Greg Johnson (Salford) to add to their part-time Championship contingent and also included two domestic players in Khamisi McKain and Jenson Morris.

"The domestic players will look at this game and realise they need to step up to play at this level," he said. "Come 2021 there will be domestic players in our team and starting the games.

"A couple of guys came back on board this year and I think in future there will be others. We'll get their eligibility sorted out and I think the team will definitely be strengthened.

"If we're going to win a couple of games at the World Cup, we're going to need more players like that.

"Our door is always open and, if there are any Jamaican heritage players in the NRL, give us a shout."

The team has been boosted by the off-field role of dual-code international Jason Robinson, whose father is Jamaican, and former Bulls player Chev Walker who is on the coaching staff as Monteith helps put his country on the map.

"I want us to be a tier-one country," he said. "People laughed when we started the project and they laughed when we said we'd be in a World Cup but it does happen and who knows what will happen in the actual World Cup?

"There are enough inspirational stories. We saw Lebanon in the last World Cup and USA in 2013, not to mention what Tonga has done. We believe we can be inspirational to the game as well."

Monteith says his team will compete in the Americas Championship in 2020, possibly in Jamaica next November, and is hoping they can line up a fixture in England with the touring Kangaroos.

Former Wakefield centre Mason Caton-Brown scored Jamaica's only try in their seven-try defeat by the Knights, for whom wingers Greg Minikin and Tom Lineham scored five tries between them.

England Knights coach Paul Anderson was delighted with his team's performance.

"I'm over moon if I'm honest," he said. "In the first half, once we got the steam out of Jamaica, we played some good stuff.

"Our right side will get all the plaudits but I thought our left side was equally as impressive and our spine of nine, seven, six and one was pretty good.

"In the second half I've got to take my hat off to Jamaica. They found some fresh energy and we got put under pressure.

"If the score had kicked out, it wouldn't have done anybody any good but they had a real good dig.

"I'm pleased we had to defend...but stuck to our guns and came up with some tries at the end."