Castleford Tigers Edge A Thriller As Test Rugby League Took First Steps Into America

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Super League: Rescheduled Round

The Good

With representative rugby league taking centre stage and a number of rescheduled matches, it was a shortened round in Super League. And it was Castleford who are recovering their mojo that so delighted and dazzled in 2017. Their one-point win over Wigan clinched by Jamie Ellis’ clutch kick showed guts, determination and resolve, especially when they were without 11 injured players from their squad. After a slow start to the season, the Tigers are now really hitting some form and without their talisman Luke Gale as well. This result sees them leapfrog Warrington into third and just a point below Wigan in second. They are breathing down the necks of the Warriors and are building real confidence at the moment.

Another team that is on the improve is their neighbours Wakefield. They accounted for a wobbly Widnes 44-22 with Bill Tupou grabbing a brace. The big Kiwi centre is having a great campaign and leads Super League in running metres. Wakefield are ensconced in sixth and now have a three point gap between them and Leeds. There is still time for a late run to try and crack the top four for Trinity.

The super-sub performance of debutant Jake Connor in the Denver Test deserves significant praise. Connor, the Hull FC halfback, was simply sensational when introduced into Mile High Stadium. He has been having a great season with the Black & Whites, are taking over a playmaking role with the injury to Marc Sneyd. And Connor made the jump from club footy to international level look easy with an assured display on American soil. Wayne Bennett gets criticism on just about everything from England fans, mostly unwarranted, but he got the call-up of Connor spot on.

The Bad

Crisis comes to Headingley – that was the headline doing the rounds after Catalans pipped Leeds in Yorkshire. That was the Rhinos’ sixth straight defeat and well set some alarm bells ringing for coach Brian McDermott. But to be honest, there wasn’t much between the two teams in a contest that went right down to the wire. Leeds, missing 11 first-teamers, gave it their all and were unlucky not to come away with the win.

So far this season the Rhinos have lost to the Dragons by three points, St Helens by one point, Hull FC by one point, Wigan by one point and Castleford by one point. It’s hardly panic stations. Spare a thought for Widnes, who notched a record 11th successive defeat. Bad doesn’t even cover what is happening at the Vikings.

The Ugly

England and New Zealand’s historic first Test in Denver was a winner on many fronts, such as the on-field action and the decent crowd it generated. Nearly 20,000 people rocked up to watch a sport that probably knew nothing about. But the national anthems were unbelievably poor, just down-right embarrassing. Surely someone in Colorado, let alone the United States, knows “God Defend New Zealand’? Amateur hour.