Worrall predicts a derby battle
Published Date:
03 May 2008
By Peter Smith
Rookie forward Simon Worrall is expecting a game of "cat and mouse" when arch-rivals Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls square up in Cardiff tonight.
Rhinos won 44-2 when the teams last met, six weeks ago, but a spate of injuries mean Rhinos will field a very different team this evening.
Leeds' inexperienced line-up pulled off a fine 36-22 win at Hull KR eight days ago, but Worrall believes a near full-strength Bulls outfit will be a much tougher proposition.
"Every game's different and every game has different challenges," he said. "It will probably be a big, physical battle up front and we'll have to stop their big fellas getting a roll on. We will have to play fast and see if we can tire their big men out.
"It will be cat and mouse and we'll have to see who comes out on top. Hopefully it will be us."
Tonight's Millennium Magic clash will be the biggest game of Worrall's rugby league career.
The 23-year-old former Leeds Tykes flanker switched codes in March last year and had a spell on loan with Doncaster in Co-op National One before being promoted into Rhinos' senior squad this season.
He said: "I played against Bradford in March and that was a massive opportunity. It was only my second game, I went from playing against Harlequins to playing against Bradford the week after.
"That was a big game and playing in front of the home support was awesome, but Millennium Magic is like another step up. It's a great stadium and the roof will be shut.
"It will probably be my biggest game for Leeds and to play will be a massive opportunity and something hopefully I can do well in."
Worrall has played at Twickenham, for Tykes in the Middlesex Sevens, but he admitted: "The Millennium Stadium will be a completely new thing for me. I imagine it will be like my first game, against Harlequins.
"You soak it up beforehand, but as soon as you go out for the warm up, you don't forget how many people are there, but you have a job to do. You train every day to do that job and you can't let it affect you. It will be nice to look back afterwards and think it was a really good experience, but while you're playing you've just got to concentrate on your job and what you can bring to the team."
Things couldn't have gone much better for Doncaster-born Worrall in his fledgling Super League career so far.
Tonight will be his sixth senior appearance and he said: "I missed Warrington through injury and Celtic in the Challenge Cup and I think I would have been in with a shout of those two. Of the games I've played, I have been really pleased with how I've gone. I keep talking to the coaching staff every week to see what things I can do better and I keep learning.
"I am really enjoying it. It is a privilege to play with such good players and in the top of the league team at the moment. In every game and to a certain extent every training session I am still trying to get better.
The full article contains 550 words and appears in EP Leeds First & County newspaper.
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Last Updated:
03 May 2008 7:30 AM
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Source:
EP Leeds First & County
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Location:
Leeds