Leeds
romp to Victory
Leeds came back from an early
18-0 deficit to regain control of an exciting game. Leeds were the eventual
winners with a score of 18-50. For a more detailed report see the match review here.
Contract
talks due
The Rhinos are expected to start new
contract talks with promising youngster Kevin Sinfield in the near future.
The 20 year-old, whose current contract at Headingley ends after Super League
VI, will be keen to secure a long-term deal on much-improved terms.
The second-row forward signed for the Rhinos from top Oldham amateur club,
Waterhead in 1997.
If an agreement on a new deal hasn't been reached by mid summer, Sinfield will
be free to talk to other clubs.
Morley
makes winning start
Former Rhinos star Adrian Morley got
off to a winning start in Australia helping his side Sydney Roosters to a 30-16
victory over Wests Tigers.
Graham Murray's side started the game with Morley in the second row, and in
front of a crowd of 54,833 at Stadium Australia he made a steady debut.
Moz did not get on the score sheet as the Roosters ran in six tries, but put in
a good stint of tackling that left his Aussie opposition in no doubt what to
expect from him this season.
Ryan Cross with a brace, Bryan Fletcher, Shannon Hegarty, Paul Green and Anthony
Minichello were the try-scorers.
Morley's game was part of a double header to kick the season off and in the
first game a strong Parramatta side beat Penrith 40-4.
Meanwhile the title favourites the Brisbane Broncos camp were suffering with a
virus ahead of their trip to take on the North Queensland Cowboys.
Old
Trafford Ashes Test blow
The Rugby Football League have had a
request to stage an Ashes Test international at Old Trafford in the autumn
refused by Manchester United.
The Theatre of Dreams has become synonymous with the playing of top fixtures in
the North of England during recent years, regularly featuring as the venue for a
Test against Australia, whilst also being the popular 'home' of the Super League
Grand Finals.
Old Trafford drew big crowds to the Super League decider between St Helens and
Wigan last October and the World Cup final a few weeks later, but Manchester
United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, subsequently blamed their defeat by West Ham
United in the FA Cup on the state of the pitch as a consequence, claiming that
rugby matches had damaged the surface.
Whilst that charge was initially ignored by senior officials of Manchester
United PLC, who hinted that the ongoing arrangement with the RFL would continue,
it has now been confirmed that this latest application has been denied, although
it is understood that the Super League final, scheduled for Saturday 13th
October will be honoured.
RFL Director of Rugby, Greg McCallum, refused to be critical, saying :
"Obviously we are very disappointed that Manchester United have not been
able to accommodate us.
Old Trafford has established itself as part of rugby league Test match folklore,
but we are very fortunate because a number of other Northern soccer clubs are
very keen to stage Test fixtures.
" The loss of Old Trafford, with its 67,00 capacity, coupled with the
demolition of Wembley Stadium, robs the RFL of the two most prestigious venues
of recent series against Australia, creating a void that will not be easy to
fill.
With three Tests scheduled, the most likely choices would be Bolton's Reebok
Stadium, Leeds United's Elland Road and the McAlpine Stadium at Huddersfield,
all of which have been used before.
Headingley and the JJB Stadium at Wigan would top the list of traditional rugby
league stadia and Rhinos officials could well apply for a Test, following the
Manchester United refusal.
They would all provide a good atmosphere, at the expense of much reduced
capacity when compared with Wembley and Old Trafford, but none of them have
quite the same aura as a big match venue.
The RFL Marketing Department might be hard pressed to galvanise support,
especially after a disappointing response to the World Cup campaign last year,
when Australia's total dominance proved to be something of a 'turn-off' with the
public.
Morley,
like Leeds, is ready for the Tigers
Former Leeds ace Adrian Morley can
expect plenty of 'sledging' when he makes his NRL debut tomorrow night.
As his former team mates prepare for their cup tie with the Castleford Tigers,
Morley takes his Aussie bow against the Western Tigers in the Olympic Stadium.
And his coach, former Rhinos boss, Graham Murray, has said that, as a big new
signing, and an Englishman, "opponents are going to question his ancestry.
" Murray added: "I've told him, if they haven't called you a Pommy
bastard 20 times before half-time, they aren't serious'.
" Apparently Morley has been subjected to a media blitz, with every second
day a story about him in the papers.
And Morley knows that there will be some pressure, especially as the Roosters
fans see him as the man to add 'starch' to a pack that until last year was
considered soft by some critics.
Morley though has been suspended several times for high tackles and his record
is already in the filing cabinets of the NRL, via the Rugby Football League in
Leeds.
But he is confident that those problems are behind him.
"My problems in the past have been for mistimed challenges, not dirty play.
" Morley has also refuted suggestions that he has gone to Australia for
money, saying, "In England, this competition (the NRL) is considered to be
the best in the world.
"I look back at other great players, like Malcolm Reilly, and they all came
out here and proved themselves.
I wanted to do that, to test myself.
" And Morley will do that with the best wishes of his former club.
The Rhinos players and officials have sent their own message over to 'Mozza'
wishing him well for his Aussie debut.
Rhinos
anticipate big following at the Jungle
Leeds say that stand tickets for next weeks
Challenge Cup clash with Castleford are selling well, as are their coach
packages.
The Rhinos have been selling stand tickets to season ticket holders and members
for the Cas tie at the Jungle, and report that they are going well.
For ground admission it is pay on the day, the match is not all-ticket.
And Leeds have said that their coach packages for the big match are selling
particularly well.
These are priced at £6.00 for adults and £4.00 for under-16's.
Leeds estimate that they took around 3,000 fans to Swinton for their fourth
round match and for this local derby at Castleford expect to have a big
following at the Jungle.
