I can’t get excited by England’s Test
Last updated 11:38, Friday, 27 June 2008
Forgive me if I don’t get too excited about the prospect of a combined Leeds/St Helens team tackling France tonight.I WAS hugely impressed with Town coach Dave Rotheram’s attitude over losing his No 2 Gary Hewer to the Recreation Ground.
All right, not exactly a joint team of Super League’s two leading clubs – but almost, when England take the field in Toulouse.
Only four players from outside the Saints and Rhinos ranks have been named in coach Tony Smith’s 17.
Thankfully, the talent is spread wider across top-flight clubs these days, but much of the absolute elite, the cream of the crop, is centred around Knowsley Road and Headingley.
Super League is a fantastic product, the Aussie NRL is even better, but international rugby league simply fails to inspire me.
The big exception is when we tackle the Kangaroos, though this is generally an exercise in futility for the out-gunned Brits.
Sky Sports must realise that tonight’s match is a turn off for some, as they have given league fans an alternative, with Wigan versus Harlequins also broadcast live at the same time.
The current England team just don’t have the characters at present to hold my interest. I’m sure some on show tonight would struggle to hold down a place in many NRL teams.
There are exceptions of course, notably in the pack. Bradford Bulls’ teenager Sam Burgess, playing in the second-row tonight, is one of the world game’s top prospects
Warrington’s Adrian Morley has already proven himself in Oz, and there is no better prop in the NRL than England skipper Jamie Peacock, of Leeds.
Stand-off Leon Pryce has shown glimpses of genius for Saints, and Rhinos veteran Keith Senior is still our leading centre at 32.
But we have few who fire the imagination like the superstars of yesteryear. Remember Martin Offiah and Jason Robinson on the wings?
How about Garry Schofield, or the centre partnership of Paul Newlove and Gary Connolly.
Then there’s the late Mike Gregory, a fantastic free-running back-rower, and the peerless Ellery Hanley. Perhaps I’m getting old. But it ain’t that long ago.
Just as anyone who watches National League rugby will appreciate that in general, NL1 is faster than League Two, so the NRL is quicker than Super League.
Yet I’ve noticed of late that a few players who returned Down Under after failing to set alight Super League have prospered in Australia.
Ex-Hull winger Colin Best scored four tries for Canberra last weekend and was mentioned by the TV commentator as an outside bet for a State of Origin shirt.
And to my surprise, and delight, ex-Whitehaven prop Ryan Tandy popped up on our screens, debuting for Wests Tigers, off the bench, in the 19-18 defeat at Brisbane.
Much-travelled Ryan had a couple of spells at the Recre, and also turned out for Barrow, Widnes and latterly, Super League Hull KR.
He was one of Haven’s better front-rowers of the last decade but is now playing at a stellar standard. And good luck to him.
There is a chance that my appreciation of international rugby will be rekindled in October, when the World Cup kicks off Down Under.
Especially if the West Cumbrian clubs are well represented. Of course, Scotland’s coaching duo of Steve McCormack and Dave Rotheram have strong local links, and Haven’s Spencer Miller and Iain Marsh, of Workington Town, must have sound chances of making the final cut.
As for tonight, it’s ‘Come on you Quins’ in the Morgan household.
I spoke to Dave in the immediate aftermath of Workington’s dismal defeat against lowly Hunslet on Sunday.
Town’s performance had been in stark contrast to some encouraging recent efforts and the coach was clearly very low. It should after all have been a home banker for Rotheram’s team.
Yet he was still willing to talk openly about losing his valued assistant to Haven.
He spoke of his friendship with Hewer and the great work he had done in developing the club’s scholarship scheme, during his eight months at Derwent Park.
Town’s loss is certainly Haven’s gain, and while the NL1 outfit’s off-field development work certainly did not come to a standstill following his departure, he has been warmly welcomed back on to the staff by coach Ged Stokes.
Gary has a great knowledge of the top junior talent across Cumbria, and, no doubt, will be working hard to unearth future Recre first-teamers.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t get any easier for Town, who tonight face a formidable task at Doncaster. The Dons have a point to prove after being handed a rugby lesson by Workington at Derwent Park last month.
Whatever the outcome this evening, I hope Town fans are able to look to the longer term and keep faith in their coach.
Dave Rotheram’s a good coach, and more importantly, a good man.
