Rugby League: Some Magic Weekend predictions

The stunning Millennium Stadium will host the Magic Weekend

Off to Cardiff, then. I’ve checked for snow, floods, hurricanes etc and it seems that we will be able to get there. So that’s the first hurdle out of the way, although holding anything in February will always be a lottery.

Cardiff will be fun, although not in the outdoor festival sense of previous years. I can’t imagine the same encampment of St Helens fans in Sophia Gardens, for instance. Never mind, there’s always a Brains pub within striking distance in the city centre.

Other positives…..it’s a better way of starting the season than the mess of two games one weekend and a full programme the next…..and it will be warmer inside the Millennium than it was at Murrayfield in May.

A little cheer as well for the return of local derbies. Is there such a thing as a dull Hull derby, a dull Wigan-Saints or Leeds-Bradford. I reckon you can add Cas-Wakey (the demolition derby) to that list this year. The only glaring error, for my money, is putting on the Humberside clash last on the Sunday, especially with no bank holiday to take the pressure off Monday travel.

For the record, here’s how I think it will go: Warrington by 8; Catalans by 16; Cas by 24; Wigan by 4; Crusaders to draw with Salford; Leeds by 10; Rovers by 8.

Have a good weekend. If the town centre’s a bit frantic, I can recommend the pubs of Canton.

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• SaintzFan

  I’m looking forward to my first ever Magic weekend, even if Saints have been written off by everyone before a single competitive match has been played! I hope it will be a great weekend and a success by anyone’s standards. C’mon you Saints!

• cherryandwhite71

  Would be nice to see Dave getting more than 200 words allocated to him for his articles. On the eve of a brand new season, as wide-open a competition as you’ll get in any UK sport, and this is all we’re allowed. Some things never change…

  Meanwhile, we get the 50 best Rugby players (Union), not one of whom fit to lace Billy Slater’s boots.