Roar Guru
Joined January 2015
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A father of 4, Hull Kingston Rovers fan, junior rugby league coach, cyclist and rugby league writer.
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Today the great rugby league city of Kingston upon Hull, so often divided by intercity rivalries between the east and west, the red and…
There were some big moments, unexpected results, and a few controversies in Super League Round 5. Let's look at this week's talking points. 1.…
After Round 4 of the Super League, let's take a look at six of the biggest talking points. 1. Wigan riding their luck Only…
On Wednesday morning Hull Kingston Rovers issued a short statement advising that head coach Chris Chester had been stood down. Chester's assistant Willie Poching…
Following the first round of Super League action, the games kept on rolling. What were the major talking points from Round 2? 1. Vikings…
The English Super League kicked off in controversial fashion last week, as Hull Kingston Rovers hooker John Boudebza was handed a four-match ban for…
Super League is back, having kicked off over the weekend. So what were the talking points out of the first week back? 1. Warrington…
Welcome to the first edition of 2016 of Six to go, looking at some of the things that I'd like to see happen in…
After an exciting ending to the three-Test Series between England and New Zealand, here are a few things I learnt from the match. 1.…
New Zealand drew the Test series with England level, recording a 9-2 victory at London's Olympic Stadium. So what did we learn from the…
Even with all of the speculation that surrounded Sam Burgess since England were knocked out of the Rugby World Cup, I was still surprised…
The build up to the Test Series against New Zealand has got me thinking about my first taste of live Test Match rugby league.…
The Super League semi-finals provided us with two games of contrasting performances and quality. On Thursday night the Wigan Warriors qualified for their third…
As the 2015 Super League season ratchets up to a, hopefully, spectacular conclusion with two mouth-watering semi-finals followed by the grand final Saturday, my…
At the start of the season I tipped Warrington Wolves to win the Super League competition. I felt the addition of 2014 Man of…
Adrian Morley has been one of the stand-out British rugby league players of the last 20 years, and there can be no questioning his…
James Webster is back in rugby league, an outstanding appointment as the first head coach of the controversial joint City of Hull Academy. The…
I feel some sympathy for the plight that Richie Mathers finds himself in. The six-month ban Mathers recently received from the RFL for a…
Sack Chris Chester. Ben Cockayne should have played fullback instead of Kieran Dixon. James Green should have been on the bench instead of Dane…
The last time Hull Kingston Rovers and Leeds (before they became the Rhinos) met in a major Challenge Cup tie was 1986, and the…
A 9-2 penalty count surely doesn’t mean a biased referee does it Scott? I thought Sutton stopped the flow of the game last weekend with his constant penalties for next to nothing ‘infringements’ at the play the ball – at least Thaler let the game flow.
Nine things we learnt from England vs New Zealand's second Test
Renegade, we have to make changes as the attack was stale on Saturday. Gale will bring something fresh and is a more experiences half back than Williams – he’s been wound the block a time or two just not at international level.
I think Roby and Hodgson are now very close but offer different strengths from the same position. Roby will go all day from acting half and make good yardage and will tackle anything that moves – Hodgson is more creative with ball in hand and also a hard defensive worker – Roby has done nothing wrong in my eyes – we just need to play to Hodgson’s strengths and allow hi more time to do what he is good at.
Gareth Widdop tips England to bounce back
Niall, it was an awful game to be played at the Olympic Stadium – a brand new venue for RL and because the game was poor the atmosphere never built as both sets of fans never had much to cheer.
England defended superbly but were very poor in attack.
Gareth Widdop tips England to bounce back
If England are to have any chance of winning then Luke Gale must start at half back in place of Williams and Josh Hodgson needs more game time – he has out performed Roby with the ball in his hand in both tests but had nowhere near enough game time on Saturday. There seem’s to be an infatuation with Roby – he is a great player and tackles non stop but does not offer the same amount of skill level out of dummy half as Hodgson does.
Gareth Widdop tips England to bounce back
Yep – I miss the big tours of the past – it was great to see the Aussies or Kiwis come over and play club sides – the younger generation are missing out on something special.
1985: My first taste of international rugby league
It’s typical James Lowes mate – blame anyone else but yourself.
Not a good example and not a good coach in my opinion – and this guy is England’s assistant coach – unbelievable – he is sometimes unable to think before he speaks – sore loser.
What a great weekend of rugby league
The Grand Final should be a cracker – if it is half as good as the NRL Grand Final then we are in for a good night.
What a great weekend of rugby league
They certainly are – I feel for the coach – he has done a really good job following in from Nathan Brown and his players let him down.
What a great weekend of rugby league
On a serious note – I am shocked that this is not already in place in the NRL.
All Super League players are screened as standard and this is now being extended to Championship and Championship 1 teams as well after the tragic death of Danny Jones (Keighley Cougars) earlier this year.
It must be noted that an ECG is no guarantee that a defect will be discovered – Danny had one a few months before his death and no abnormality was shown up.
Heart and brain tests incoming for NRL players
Jack Reed is now out of England squad contention due to a shoulder injury and comments are being made in the UK that Kallum Watkins is booked in for surgery after the GF!!
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
SEH,
I’m beginning to think there might not be a place for Tomkins – certainly not in the starting 13 – I would select Hardaker at full back but always had in the back of my mind the expectation that McNamara would select Tomkins at FB.
Now, I am not sure if there is a choice based on Hardaker’s form and the fact that he took out the MoS award – Tomkins has struggled this year because of injury and has not played many games.
I don’t see McNamara going with Tomkins over Widdop at 6.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
Can’t see either Eastmond or Burgess coming back to League in a hurry.
Burgess, in particular, will be keen to prove the press wrong and that he is good enough to play at the highest level in RU – whether that is as a centre or flanker.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
I understand that – but they also don’t want to be playing big games in half full stadia!!
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
Niall,
Don’t get me started on Joel Tomkins LOL!!
With regards to the venues, I think the choices are pretty good.
They’ve gone to two heartland grounds with capacity’s in the mid 20,000 and would hope to sell those out, especially if the Third Test at Wigan is a decider.
The Second Test is the big one for the RFL marketing department.
People have been calling on the RFL to take Test Match RL back to London for a while – I think that the World Cup SF’s showed that Wembley was TOO big – and with the Olympic Stadium capacity reduced to just over 50,000 since the Olympic Games in 2012 then that size of stadium is perfect.
I can understand your comment about St. James’ Park – especially after the Magic Weekend went down so well there – but I think the RFL wanted to be safe in the knowledge that two games were in area’s that they knew people would buy tickets for and another outside of the heartlands would have been too much of a gamble.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
I agree SA – England MUST win this series. If we don’t win this Series with all of the players the Kiwi’s are missing it will be a joke.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
International RL as a whole needs to kick itself up the backside and we need to get Ashes tours back in the programme – but the major emphasis must also be on getting the Pacific Nations, PNG, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, to such a high standard that they too can start playing against Australia, NZ and England on a regular basis.
Playing against each other more regularly will help them but can you imagine the publicity if the Australians or New Zealanders visited these Islands – even an Australia reserve side would help raise the standards and raise public awareness.
International Rugby League needs to start being taken seriously and start taking itself seriously.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
TH, that is probably the one change I would currently make – Reed in for Turner – I have watched a few YouTube clips, saw the GF and listened to the numerous amount of people who have told me he will be in the squad.
Hall, or the Thundercat as Jason likes him to be known, has not had his best season but I still think he is a go to man and I would be happier to have him in the team.
Briscoe is a top quality player and wold not be surprised to see him in the squad.
Luke Gale deserves his place on merit but McNamara will select Smith I think – he is the safe option – but I think Gale’s ability to think outside the box would be ore dangerous – you don’t need both of your halves to be ‘safe’ options.
I can’t stand Joel Tomkins – if he is selected it will be on reputation and name only as it was last year – he too gives away too many penalties.
Bateman is a nasty little bugger and plays well above his weight and would not be overawed.
I LMS but, as you say, too many penalties.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
SA,
It is the first home Tests for England since the 2013 World Cup – 2 years without any home matches!!! Totally ridiculous and would not happen in ay other sport – therefore, I think the squad will be desperate to do well and the fans will be demanding a series win.
They will get very good support at every venue.
The only disappointment is the number of high quality Kiwi’s that have withdrawn from the squad. Some big names won’t be over here – Johnson, Foran, Leuluai, JWH, Vatuvei….any I have missed??
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
Jason,
You make a good point.
RL has a good opportunity to ride on the back of the RU World Cup and also to give the home nation something to cheer after the dismal performances of the England RU boys.
The First Test in Hull is the day after the RU World Cup Final and a week later the series goes to the Olympic Stadium in London and the RFL need to ensure that Test, in particular, is sold out.
That is exactly what the RFU have done with the games at all venues – over 89,000+ at Wembley Stadium for Ireland v. Romania?? and the Challenge Cup Final just reached 80,000!!!
It is marketing and image over quality of product that RU wins hands down.
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
Hi Jason,
Like Niall said, Cuthbertson is a good player but we are well stacked with front rowers who will need to be tough and aggressive against the Kiwi’s. I must admit, even though he qualifies through his dad, I still see him as an Australian!!!!
Yes, Briscoe is playing good stuff but in a 23 man squad you can’t pick everyone and Jermaine McGilivary has been in hot form in the last 6-8 weeks and fully deserves a place in the squad – will McNamara pick him? – probably if he goes with 4 wingers.
This was actually written over a week ago and has taken a while to be uploaded to the site and the one player that a lot of people have told me is a definite that I have not included is Jack Reed.
I must admit I have not seen much of him at all – what do you guys think??
My England squad for the New Zealand Test series.
Thanks for reading Russell – I just love to have a debate at any time on anything rugby league.
Why are Warrington in disarray?
I must admit Russell the headline wasn’t mine – mine was more of a question – are Warrington in disarray?
It just seems to me that Tony Smith isn’t sure about what / who he wants and there has been a lot of blood letting of players that really are Warrington through and through and don’t want to be anywhere else.
They ended the season well but are a shadow of the team that they where even 12 months ago and I expected them to be title contenders at least this year – especially with bringing Daryl Clark in from Castleford.
So the headline is a little bit over dramatic but I think some of my points hold water – they really need Sandow to gel with whoever his half back partner is next year – Ratchford?? Gidley?? to ensure they get a good start – I don’t think Smith will get away with another inconsistent season.
Why are Warrington in disarray?
Hi Richard, you may be right about Widdop being stifled by McNamara’s game plan – there just seemed to be a lot of occasions where he seemed to be lost and wasn’t sure what was going – maybe that was down to the Kiwi defence as well.
There are two outstanding candidates in Super League as far as I am concerned to replace McNamara – Leeds coach Brian McDermott and Castleford coach Daryl Powell.
McDermott has done a great job at Leeds and has earned the respect of the supporters who were unsure about his appointment at first and Powell has done an amazing job with Cas over the last two years, taking them from outside of the top 8 to 4th and 5th placed finishes.
McDermott is coaching the USA at the moment but if he put his hand up and made it known he was interested I would be sorely tempted to give him a shot.
However, I do think McNamara has done a good job and he definitely has the players behind him – I think I am edging towards giving him another two years and see how we do in next years Four Nations and the World Cup in 2017,
Ten things I learnt from the third Test