Rival Coaches Play Mind Games As Cayless Waits in the Wings
Rugby league: Leeds and St Helens prepare to square up in the most anticipated match of the Super League season so far
Two former New Zealand coaches have been stepping up their mind games before tonight's most eagerly awaited match of the Super League season so far between St Helens and Leeds. The Saints coach,
Daniel Anderson, has accused Brian McClennan, his former international assistant who succeeded him, of deliberately downplaying the recent dominant form of his Leeds team, who have scored 122 points in their last three matches and conceded only six.
"As much as Bluey will try and claim the low ground I don't think anyone here is daft," said Anderson. "Leeds are white hot at the moment. It's a daunting prospect for us." But Anderson gave McClennan something to consider when he included the Kiwi prop Jason Cayless in the St Helens squad for the first time this season.
Cayless had not been expected to play for at least another month after a major knee operation last autumn. But he returned to full training last week and his inclusion in a 19-man squad raises the possibility of an unexpectedly rugged test for the Leeds forwards.
Saints have been struggling up front all season in the absence of Cayless and all their other first-choice forwards have had injuries apart from the outstanding James Graham. Nick Fozzard has been ruled out for the year with a ruptured cruciate and, although Maurie Fa'asavalu and Jon Wilkin have both recovered, Keiron Cunningham has a torn thigh muscle that will keep him out for another three weeks and Paul Sculthorpe is in the middle of another indefinite lay-off with hamstring problems.
"We've been inconsistent this year but I won't make a real fair assessment of us until I get Jason Cayless and Keiron Cunningham back," Anderson said this week before the possibility of Cayless playing tonight became public knowledge.
McClennan will make at least two changes to the team that thrashed Hull 30-4 at the KC Stadium on Monday, with Lee Smith and Carl Ablett ruled out.
"This is a game the whole club is really looking forward to," he said. "You raise the bar when you play against St Helens."
Daniel Anderson, has accused Brian McClennan, his former international assistant who succeeded him, of deliberately downplaying the recent dominant form of his Leeds team, who have scored 122 points in their last three matches and conceded only six.
"As much as Bluey will try and claim the low ground I don't think anyone here is daft," said Anderson. "Leeds are white hot at the moment. It's a daunting prospect for us." But Anderson gave McClennan something to consider when he included the Kiwi prop Jason Cayless in the St Helens squad for the first time this season.
Cayless had not been expected to play for at least another month after a major knee operation last autumn. But he returned to full training last week and his inclusion in a 19-man squad raises the possibility of an unexpectedly rugged test for the Leeds forwards.
Saints have been struggling up front all season in the absence of Cayless and all their other first-choice forwards have had injuries apart from the outstanding James Graham. Nick Fozzard has been ruled out for the year with a ruptured cruciate and, although Maurie Fa'asavalu and Jon Wilkin have both recovered, Keiron Cunningham has a torn thigh muscle that will keep him out for another three weeks and Paul Sculthorpe is in the middle of another indefinite lay-off with hamstring problems.
"We've been inconsistent this year but I won't make a real fair assessment of us until I get Jason Cayless and Keiron Cunningham back," Anderson said this week before the possibility of Cayless playing tonight became public knowledge.
McClennan will make at least two changes to the team that thrashed Hull 30-4 at the KC Stadium on Monday, with Lee Smith and Carl Ablett ruled out.
"This is a game the whole club is really looking forward to," he said. "You raise the bar when you play against St Helens."
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