South Wales Scorpions are unlikely to make too many changes from the side that were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Dewsbury Rams last week with just Lewis Mills on the injury list.
The Scorpions play their first away match of the season at Doncaster on Sunday (kick-off 3pm) in a repeat of their first ever away outing from last year where the Scorpions won 18-8.
Scorpions’ Director of Rugby, Mark Rowley knows that his side must improve on last week’s showing if they are to get a result in South Yorkshire.
“We were given a lesson in Rugby League last week,” he said. “Dewsbury came out of the blocks in the first 20 minutes and set the standard for the game. We won’t want to make that mistake again this Sunday.
“At times we looked good, we had spells last week where we really sharp and that’s the form that we want to take into Championship 1. If we can do that, we’re not going to be far away from the pack in our division this year.
“A few people last week have had to look at themselves in the mirror and say ‘Do I want to play Rugby League or am I just here to make up the numbers?’ and we’ve had some good sessions this week. The boys have done a lot of hard work and we’re ready for what will be a tough challenge up at Doncaster.”
Doncaster centre Chris Spurr will miss the game after pulling a hamstring in their Challenge Cup win over Thatto Heath last weekend.
“It’s frustrating to be missing the first league game of the season because the league is our main priority,” he said. “I don’t know how long I am going to be out for but hopefully no longer than two or three games.
“Although we didn’t play particularly well on Saturday, I thought that we did quite well in our four Northern Rail Cup pool games and we are happy how things have gone so far.
“South Wales did the double over us last year but we are hopeful of getting off to a winning start on Sunday. They didn’t play in the Northern Rail Cup and were well beaten by Dewsbury in their Challenge Cup tie at the weekend so if we can hit them early and put a few points on the board then their heads might go down.”
Doncaster will be dedicating the match to last year’s New Zealand mining disaster.
With Doncaster being a mining town and Wales a mining country, their owner Carl Hall, believes this to be the perfect game to honour the miners.
Doncaster had also suffered from a similar tragedy in November 1931 in which 45 miners were killed at Bentley colliery.
Hall, who is from New Zealand, is calling on all New Zealanders in the UK, including rugby players from both codes of the game, to attend the match.
"This is the least we can do for them even though we are on the other side of the world," he said. "The families who lost loved ones are in our thoughts."
All proceeds raised will go to the Pike River trust fund with the Dons donating £2 from every paying adult ticket to the fund.
To travel to the match with the South Wales Scorpions Supporters Club, please contact Andy Birchall on 0783 799 8485 or email swscorpions@rugbyfans.net.
The Scorpions play their first away match of the season at Doncaster on Sunday (kick-off 3pm) in a repeat of their first ever away outing from last year where the Scorpions won 18-8.
Scorpions’ Director of Rugby, Mark Rowley knows that his side must improve on last week’s showing if they are to get a result in South Yorkshire.
“We were given a lesson in Rugby League last week,” he said. “Dewsbury came out of the blocks in the first 20 minutes and set the standard for the game. We won’t want to make that mistake again this Sunday.
“At times we looked good, we had spells last week where we really sharp and that’s the form that we want to take into Championship 1. If we can do that, we’re not going to be far away from the pack in our division this year.
“A few people last week have had to look at themselves in the mirror and say ‘Do I want to play Rugby League or am I just here to make up the numbers?’ and we’ve had some good sessions this week. The boys have done a lot of hard work and we’re ready for what will be a tough challenge up at Doncaster.”
Doncaster centre Chris Spurr will miss the game after pulling a hamstring in their Challenge Cup win over Thatto Heath last weekend.
“It’s frustrating to be missing the first league game of the season because the league is our main priority,” he said. “I don’t know how long I am going to be out for but hopefully no longer than two or three games.
“Although we didn’t play particularly well on Saturday, I thought that we did quite well in our four Northern Rail Cup pool games and we are happy how things have gone so far.
“South Wales did the double over us last year but we are hopeful of getting off to a winning start on Sunday. They didn’t play in the Northern Rail Cup and were well beaten by Dewsbury in their Challenge Cup tie at the weekend so if we can hit them early and put a few points on the board then their heads might go down.”
Doncaster will be dedicating the match to last year’s New Zealand mining disaster.
With Doncaster being a mining town and Wales a mining country, their owner Carl Hall, believes this to be the perfect game to honour the miners.
Doncaster had also suffered from a similar tragedy in November 1931 in which 45 miners were killed at Bentley colliery.
Hall, who is from New Zealand, is calling on all New Zealanders in the UK, including rugby players from both codes of the game, to attend the match.
"This is the least we can do for them even though we are on the other side of the world," he said. "The families who lost loved ones are in our thoughts."
All proceeds raised will go to the Pike River trust fund with the Dons donating £2 from every paying adult ticket to the fund.
To travel to the match with the South Wales Scorpions Supporters Club, please contact Andy Birchall on 0783 799 8485 or email swscorpions@rugbyfans.net.
0 comments:
Post a Comment