Super League XV mid-season report
Post categories: Rugby League
| 11:17 UK time, Friday, 28 May 2010
So a first blog for two weeks after allowing myself the rare luxury of a mid-season holiday, only to be labelled a "swanky Londoner" on my return to England by , who joined our commentary team at the weekend as I battled to hold together a six-and-a-half-hour 5 live Sport extravaganza from .
Now seems to be the ideal opportunity to conduct a mid-season report on Super League XV.
I think we are perfectly poised 15 games in. The two best teams of the season to date occupy the top two places, with marching powerfully ahead of towards the League leaders' Shield.
The two sides who have dominated over the past few seasons are lurking ominously in the chasing pack - , having overcome their dreadful start, have real momentum in fifth while lie third.
Wilkin reckons the big boys will come good. "All the things that the have implemented like the salary cap and the changes in the structure of the game have produced a brilliantly tight and refreshing Super League and a much more even playing field," he told me.
"But I'm sure by the end of the season there will be changes to the top and I expect Leeds and my boys Saints to be up there challenging again."
Supporters of Bradford and Leeds enjoy the sun while the players toil in the hot conditions
While I was away doing my bit to keep Turkish beach bars in fine economic fettle, a couple of players texted me to say I should have saved my money and stayed in the United Kingdom as it was actually hotter back home.
That actually seemed a decent call when my attempts to navigate towards a bar showing yielded less than positive results.
When the Super League era brought the dawn of summer rugby, barmy months like this were what the RFL dreamt of. But how on earth do the players cope in the kind of thirty degree heat we have enjoyed in May?
Sure, the fans and even the coaches and staff love sitting there in their shorts, shades and t-shirts, but running into a brick wall over 80 minutes in the baking heat cannot be what the players want?
"It's pretty horrendous playing in this," admits Wilkin. "In terms of what it does to your body, it saps you so much more than a normal game and makes the fluid intake massive. It is enjoyable though to get the ball and play some good rugby on the sun-baked ground but the pressure is on the coaches to use the interchanges right."
I seem to remember when Wigan won the last ever Super League derby at Knowsley Road in a monsoon over Easter, Wilkin and Saints were yearning for the hot weather!
I'm sure Wilko loves the sun and high temperatures really. It gives him the chance to get the shades and flip flops out for the ladies.
Wilkin has this week been appointed as rugby league's representative on , alongside Paralympic gold medallist Helene Raynsford, Burnley footballer Clarke Carlisle and former England rugby union captain Martin Corry.
Wilkin was an obvious choice in my opinion as he has always been very vocal about improving the way rugby league tests its athletes.
His appointment has the full support of the RFL, which continues to work closely with UKAD to eradicate drugs use in sport.
As I blogged earlier this season, has been desperate to get involved in the RFL's anti-drug crusade since his own crushing ban, but Wilko has got the nod.
The new deputy Prime Minister seems to have emerged as a surprise rugby league fan.
did us a turn when we were putting together a good luck video for the Leeds Rhinos on the eve of their against the since .
Now Clegg has thrown his weight behind a charity rugby league initiative born in his home constituency.
has set up a to donate used football boots and rugby kit to impoverished players in his rugby-mad home country of .
Nick Clegg seems to have emerged as a surprise rugby league fan
"In Papua New Guinea, the people love rugby league, but it is very hard to get boots and kit," says Yere.
"Many people live in rural areas and have very little money. Some youngsters do not have shoes, let alone rugby boots. When I started playing in England last year, I decided to use some of my pay to buy new boots and send them back to my village. I bought a new pair every few weeks. At the end of the season, I collected used rugby kit from other players at the Eagles and took those back with me to give to youngsters."
I'm told the collection of kit alone meant Yere exceeded his luggage allocation last year on the long flight home. But it is a great idea and one that has already won favour at Westminster.
Clegg reckons this will "encourage future generations to participate in the sport whilst ensuring that rugby league is accessible to everyone, irrespective of their background. Sport is at its best when it unites and benefits communities and this project will certainly help to do that."
If background is irrespective, I'd love to get Clegg and his new buddy up to Headingley for a game of tag rugby. Or perhaps semi-contact.
Finally, I'm busy hosting an England RL event in Leigh this week. It should be a belter and I'll blog on that next week.
My one other project is a bid to persuade my superiors on the Gabby Logan programme on 5 live to broadcast the semi-final draw live next Wednesday. Tune in to see if it comes off!
Hi, I'm George Riley. You may have heard me flying the flag for our great game on Radio 5 live, where I now present the sport on the Breakfast show. I also pop up on television presenting the Breakfast sport on 91Èȱ¬ One and 91Èȱ¬ News. Raised in Yorkshire, rugby league has always been a big love for me. I hope to use this blog to share my insight and behind-the-scenes gossip from every game I go to. You can also follow me on .
Comment number 1.
At 30th May 2010, AndyN wrote:Cracking blog,
Nice coverage of the Challenge Cup this weekend from the 91Èȱ¬, interviewing people in the changing room and the red button forum are the kind of innovations that really make a difference with coverage. The only thing that annoyed me slightly was the constant references to the conditions, and explaining why it was 'still a good game' during the Leeds/Wigan game, I think we are the only sport that feels it has to make constant apologises for the quality on show. Apart from that really good stuff from the Beeb, helped by two really intense games.
Congrats on getting the draw on 5 Live, but with a bit of joined up thinking the RFL could have arranged it to have been after the Bradford game, even if it was just on the red button after the show had gone off 91Èȱ¬2 it would have been good to watch and get reaction from the coaches and studio guests.
All in all encouraging weekend for League, shame it only happens a few weekends a year.
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Comment number 2.
At 30th May 2010, Diane wrote:I would agree with AndyN - the 91Èȱ¬'s coverage of the Challenge Cup this weekend was spot on. There was lots of intelligent discussion around the game, lots of positive comments and some really good commentary. They were diverse games in diverse conditions but I think both were good displays of rugby league for different reasons (and with a few less handling errors would have been very good displays of rugby league!). I'm still waiting, though, for some promotion of the Challenge Cup by the Beeb prior to the matches actually starting.
Well done on getting the draw on Five Live, George. The wait will ratchet up the tension! Pity it could not have been done on TV straight after the match today. That would have been perfect. But at least it's happening live somewhere where the rest of the known world could hear about it if they chose.
It's a shame we now have to wait two months for the semis. But I'm looking forward to seeing what the Beeb do with them when they eventually trundle along!
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Comment number 3.
At 30th May 2010, billybatten wrote:"It's a shame we now have to wait two months for the semis"
It's more than a shame it's a disgrace. What other sport than Rugby League can anyone name that has been treated in such a "cheap way" by the 91Èȱ¬.
The RFL were told by the 91Èȱ¬ that if they didn't play the Challenge Cup games on certain weekends to "suit them" they would cut the funding by 75% !!!!
The 91Èȱ¬'S coverage is a sham, the viewing figures are poor,build up for the Challenge cup is non existent, but the 91Èȱ¬ doesn't give two hoots because they know the RFL has got nowhere to run because no other broadcaster is interested in the C Cup so they can treat it with contempt and get away with it.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when the contract with the 91Èȱ¬ is up for renewal, now it's not one of the 91Èȱ¬'S so called "Jewels in the Crown"
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Comment number 4.
At 31st May 2010, Dee_the_saint wrote:I cannot believe that the draw is on the radio, 3 days after the last semi-final, which was on tv. The only reason that I can come up with for the draw not being live on tv is that it is fixed. Why else would it be hidden away? If this isn't the case, why would the rugby league allow this idea to be a possibility?
With regard to the timing of the semi-finals, it is pure madness. If it's true, as mentioned above, that the bbc has given a "like it or lump it" choice then the rugby league needs to think long and hard about their relationship with the beeb. It is so annoying to have such a long gap, and for the matches to be in the school holiday time, when so many people are away for the matches, and supporters of the finalists then have problems getting tickets.
Wake up, rugby league.
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Comment number 5.
At 1st Jun 2010, mightywarrywarry wrote:Id bet every penny to my name that the draw is this;
St Helens Vs Warrington
Leeds Vs Catalans
Now if it was on telly, would it be different? At least we would have a chance of NOT drawing saints.
Ultimately, if were going to win it, were gonna have to beat them at some point! (unless they get beat in the other semi).
COME ON YOU WIRE!
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Comment number 6.
At 1st Jun 2010, Rovers Return - HKR AWAY DAYS wrote:I have no doubts that the draw is credible and think that it isn't aired often because the 91Èȱ¬ don't deem it worthy enough. I'd like to see it on Sky Sports News on the Monday morning after the last round. Give us 5 minutes, we don't ask for much!
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Comment number 7.
At 1st Jun 2010, George Riley wrote:AndyN / SaintDi yep I htought our tele coverage was excellent this weekend, Woodsy and JK did a really good job of selling a pretty turgid Leeds game I thought, and seeing JJB leading the chants in the dressing room afterwrads was fantastic. I know it's an old joke about the draw being fixed with hot and col bals but I don't think anyone actually believes that to be true! Everyone wants to draw the Catalans but I reckon they're still a dangerous opponent on a neutral ground
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Comment number 8.
At 9th Aug 2010, Bill Baxter wrote:Was curious about the Blog headed 'Super League XV Mid Season Report' and expected it to be about Rugby Union. Why not X111?
On a more serious note Wigan has signed 3 very good players from Melbourne Storm and whether they stay 1,2 or 3 years doesn't matter as they each will give top value and will be sorely missed by the Storm.
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Comment number 9.
At 24th Aug 2010, Richie Myler wrote:catalans not even close at my old home. even tho i started on the bench i was still confident id get on. and my try was sickk!!
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