I thought Leeds were taking a foolish and unnecessary risk by playing Castleford without their Test stars last Saturday. Well, they assessed their own capabilities correctly and got away with it, recording one of their most memorable wins in the process.
The performances of their young kids like Ben Jones-Bishop and Danny Allan were one factor, but Brian McClennan knew the right button to press with his remaining senior player. This game, playing alongside these kids, he told them, is one you'll remember. That struck the right chord with players like Matt Diskin and Brent Webb and they proved crucial to the outcome.
As for Cas, Terry Matterson says he didn't use the idea that Leeds were demeaning them by choosing to play them with a weakened side as a motivational tool.
Maybe I'm incurably old school in these matters, but I would have done. I would have peddled it for all it was worth.
Kevin Sinfield's point-scoring run came to an end when he sat out the Cas game, but I reckon he was the big winner of the weekend.
Of the 17 on duty in Toulouse, he was possibly the most marginal candidate for the World Cup. He surely did enough to show that he should be on the plane - maybe as the bits-and-pieces player who can play a bit of back-row, a bit of hooker - but definitely on the plane.
(Picture of Matt Diskin courtesy of Getty Images)
Sinfield might be the most influential player in Super League but he's never done it against the Australians or Kiwis, including last year against a weakened Kiwi outfit after a top performance for GB against France.
I might even argue that he's old enough and has had enough chances for him to be past the point where the jury's out.
Posted by: Douglas Ring-Kells | 04 July 2008 at 10:46 AM