| You are in: Rugby League |
| Tuesday, 11 June, 2002, 14:57 GMT 15:57 UK Sculthorpe: Time for a cut
I'm the first person to sing the praises of the two-match Origin Series between Lancashire and Yorkshire. We need these kinds of representative games to improve standards.
But the fixture calendar is becoming so congested that players will start to suffer. With the Origin matches taking place on Friday and the following Tuesday, any St Helens player involved will have three games in just eight days. That's a tough ask, no matter how fit you are. With the internationals against Australia and New Zealand to come as well, the top players are going to end up competing in 40 games this season. That is far too much given the pace and intensity of the modern game. It is totally different to two or three years ago. The stresses and strains on the body are such that we are left completely drained after each game.
The players are in a difficult position. We want to play in the big games, so we end up playing pretty much every week. The only solution is to reduce the number of fixtures in a season, in particular the number of Super League games. The ideal scenario would be for each team play one another home and away just once. That would make a big difference, although the clubs would no doubt complain about lost revenue. It is a sensitive subject but one which will continue to attract plenty of debate. Surprised With the Origin games taking centre stage, a few of the Saints lads will be able to get a rest before the Super League campaign resumes next weekend. With the season at the halfway point, we have to be pleased with the way things have gone.
Our aim before the Leeds game was to move into outright second place in the table. And our 41-14 victory at Headingley made sure we did. We were surprised to win by such a margin but we stuck to our gameplan and it worked a treat. That's three wins over the Rhinos this season now and I'd like to think we've got a psychological advantage over them. Our coach, Ian Millward, compared me to Australian legend Laurie Daley after the game, which is one helluva compliment. But I've still got a lot of work to do on my game. I can improve in every department - and that's what I aim to do in training each week. |
See also: 08 Jun 02 | Super League Top Rugby League stories now: Links to more Rugby League stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Links to more Rugby League stories |
![]() | ||
------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> | BBC Weather >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |