SAINTS DECLINE WALKABOUT

[josie andrews]

SAINTS DECLINE WALKABOUT

Challenge Cup holders St Helens are to break with tradition by declining to make the customary eve-of-final walkabout at Wembley.

Saints coach Daniel Anderson took the decision after a straw poll of his players in the build-up to Saturday's showdown with Hull.

"With all due respect, if there is a walkabout group, it will be very small," he said.

"It takes about two hours out of your day by the time you drive there and back. We're in the same dressing rooms as last year and we're pretty comfortable with our knowledge there."

It has been tradition for the last 40 years for the finalists to undertake the walkabout 24 hours before the big game and the Rugby Football League have expressed their disappointment over St Helens' decision.

"We can understand their reason but it is disappointing because it is an opportunity to raise the profile of the game nationally," said RFL communications manager Craig Spence.

Hull will make their tour of the national stadium mid-morning and Saints, who are aiming to win the cup for a third successive year, were due to follow them at lunchtime.

"It's our choice," insisted Saints captain Keiron Cunningham, who will be making his eighth Challenge Cup final appearance.

"You can't tell me going to a walkabout at Wembley is going to make you play better the day after.

"It's a decision we've made as a group of players. We have been fortunate to play there last year and it's the same circumstances. I can't see it being beneficial to the team."

Long-serving full-back Paul Wellens also supported the decision, saying: "We've been to the stadium and it's the same dressing rooms as last year.

"I think it will probably benefit the players to get away from it the day before the game and just relax their minds so they are not constantly thinking about the game.

"The game is never far away from your mind in the build-up and walking around Wembley would probably sap the energy thinking about it.

"I think a lot of the guys would prefer to stay at the hotel and put their feet up. It's down to people's personal preference rather than a group choice.

"We are preparing as well as we've prepared for any game this year. I can assure people we are not being blas about it. We're leaving no stone unturned in our preparation."

Meanwhile, New Zealand prop Jason Cayless was an anticipated absentee when Anderson named his initial 19-man squad.

The experienced front rower will be sidelined until the start of the Super League play-offs because of knee ligament damage sustained in Sunday's 40-22 win at Huddersfield.

The squad includes England's Samoa-born prop Maurie Fa'ake Cayless' place, while club captain Paul Sculthorpe, Australian back-rower Chris Flannery and ex-Wigan prop Bryn Hargreaves will make their Wembley debuts after missing Saints' win over Catalans Dragons a year ago.

Sculthorpe, who is in his 10th and final year at Saints, was nursing an Achilles tendon injury last year and has yet to play in the competition this year because of injury.

"It was hard missing out last year," he said.

"You don't want to miss any big game and it was extra-special being the first one at the new Wembley so it will be great to take part this year."

Victory on Saturday would enable Saints to equal their own club record of 21 successive cup and league wins.

They are overwhelming favourites to become only the second team behind Wigan to win three cup finals in a row but Anderson dismissed any prospect of complacency.

"We've been strong favourites for the last two Challenge Cup finals and it doesn't change our preparation or our mentality," he said.

"We're all very, very hungry and keen. We'll go into the game confident but not cocky."

Squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Sculthorpe, Roby, Flannery, Graham, Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Eastmond.

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... tlead.html

What a disgrace - not complacent? not cocky? - not half takes a whole 2 hours out of your day - thats a big ask

Come on you Hull

[butt monkey]

The word Blase springs to mind.

[shawcross da warrior]

bloody spoil sports, they know theyll win anyway...

[Matthew]

That's the saddest thing about this - they are treating it like just another match. They know that they will thrash Hull by 30 plus points.

[mikey-warriors]

its whatever suits them best, i know its a tradition but and you have to respect it, at the end of the day though its there descion.

[sudokuwarrior]

Who do they think they are? Shall we widen all the doors so that they can fit their inflated ego's through?

[josie andrews]

its whatever suits them best, i know its a tradition but and you have to respect it, at the end of the day though its there descion.

No you don't have to respect their decision it is downright ignorant and is "NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME". And no way will I ever respect a team that thinks it is more important than the sport itself. As if we don't get enough bad press. Its the only bloody press we get

[jaws1]

Well said Josie the CC is supposed to be one of the highlights of the season along with MM and the Grand final.Its a snub to the sponsors the RFL and like you say bad publicity for the game.

[pedro]

Who cares....hardly anyone is about when they do the "walkabout" thing. Might be tradition but its a pointless one.

Now if they refused to sing "abide with me" then that would upset me

[josie andrews]

Who cares....hardly anyone is about when they do the "walkabout" thing. Might be tradition but its a pointless one.

Now if they refused to sing "abide with me" then that would upset me

Sorry Pedro but I care, I care for the sport of Rugby League and if it means a team to do the traditional thing then so be it. You said you would be upset if they didn't sing "Abide with Me", well that is tradition also but what has that hymn got to do with the sport it was written by Henry Francis Lyte when he was dying of tuberculosis -:

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Since 1927 it has been sung before the kick-off at every FA Cup Final and Rugby League Challenge Cup final.


It goes with the tradition, and it is because of the attitude of some teams and players and people nowadays that respect for the history of our country, game etc is turning this country into a sh*thole.