Sponsored by
Industrious Castleford Tigers cut Huddersfield Giants to size
Castleford Tigers warmed a small crowd on a freezing night at Probiz Coliseum by powering to a 32-22 win over Super League rivals Huddersfield Giants in their latest pre-season trial.
Numerous changes had an effect on the game, but Tigers will have got plenty from a competitive hit-out which saw them out-score the visitors by six tries to four.
There was a great deal of industry on show from both teams and Cas in particular played a nice brand of rugby, though they overdid it at times.
The classic example of that was when Man of Steel Rangi Chase tried an elaborate round-his-back pass on the first tackle close to Giants’ line, but only succeeded in hurling the ball into touch.
Tigers were 10-0 up after as many minutes, faded for a spell but finished strongly. They took the lead with a smart blindside move, begun and finished by one of the experienced players whose place is under threat this year, Ryan Hudson.
Quick
Hudson has lost his No 9 short to Daryl Clark, who was among the substitutes alongside another highly-rated young hooker Adam Milner.
Hudson, the acting-half, fed Chase and quick hands – plus a couple of dubious passes – saw the ball pass through the hands of recruit Josh Griffin and academy player James Clare before his pass was finished by Hudson.
Tigers almost increased their lead in the next set when Chase’s pass sent Joe Arundel weaving through some bamboozled defence, but he was halted on the line.
Full-back Greg Eden began to make a name for himself in last year’s trial games and his off-season move to Huddersfield angered many Cas fans.
He was at fault for Tigers’ second try, after 10 minutes, failing to deal with Danny Orr’s low kick. The Cas captain chipped through again and then followed up to touch down.
Kirk Dixon – returning from a shoulder injury suffered in last August’s Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Leeds Rhinos – booted the first of his three conversions.
Jacob Emmitt also came back from a long-term injury, to his knee, as one of Cas’ subs. Both sides fielded four recruits, but were missing numerous senior players – five in Cas’ case and eight for Giants – most of them in the pack.
It was one of Cas’ signings who handed Huddersfield a way into the game, out of the blue, at the end of the first quarter.
The ex-Leigh prop’s offload was snapped up by Danny Brough, who raced 70 metres to score unmolested, also adding the first of his three goals.
Brough later got into a scuffle with Giants old boy Griffin, who was the aggressor. Cas’ recruits seemed anxious to show their dedication to the cause, Nash earlier squaring up to giant Giant Eorl Crabtree.
Apart from his early blunder Nash did reasonably well and hit the ball up strongly.
Substitute Lee Mitchell, on long-term loan from Warrington, was the liveliest of Cas’ new faces, scoring a good try in the second period, though his hairstyle was what made him really stand out.
Warrington’s Ryan Shaw played the first match of his month-long loan spell, coming off the bench to replace Clare on the right wing. A specialist centre, he didn’t really have an opportunity to show what he can do.
After a slow start Giants worked their way into the game and they went ahead seven minutes before the interval thanks to a freak try. Brough hoisted a bomb, Scott Grix got a boot to it and the ball rocketed in goal, for Joe Wardle to dive on it just before it rolled dead.
A well-worked try, as the hooter sounded, by Oliver Holmes gave Cas a deserved four-point interval lead, but Giants went back in front two minutes afterwards when Jermaine McGilvary crossed from Brough’s kick.
Mitchell showed encouraging pace to dash over from Orr’s short pass on the hour and moments later Chase took the direct approach, running through Lee Gilmour for Cas’ fifth try.
That opened a two-score lead and allowed coach Ian Millward to rest both his half-backs in the final quarter.
McGillvary scored his second try moments later, but Eden could not convert and Cas sealed a deserved victory with five minutes left.
Clark’s pace off the mark from dummy-half has marked him out as one of the most exciting prospects in Super League and it carried him over the line from 20 metres out for a fine solo score, improved by Shaw to complete the scoring.
Cas coach Ian Millward said: “It was a good hit-out for both teams and we got through with no major injuries which was the main thing. We looked rusty at times, but I have got to be pleased with some of the things we did.”
Castleford Tigers: McGoldrick, Clare, Griffin, Arundel, Dixon, Chase, Orr, Nash, Hudson, Massey, O Holmes, Snitch, Jones. Subs (all used): Mitchell, Emmitt, Shaw, Thompson, Clark, Atkinson, Owen, Milner, Davies.
Huddersfield Giants: Eden, McGillvary, Wardle, Cudjoe, George, Brough, Grix, Crabtree, Lee, A Walker, Sarsfield, Chan, Lunt. Subs (all used): Gilmour, Johnson, Fairbank, Molloy, Robinson, Mason, Cording, F Walker.
Referee: James Child (Dewsbury).
Attendance: 2,542.
* HUDDERSFIELD Giants are interested in signing Leeds Rhinos prop Luke Ambler on loan.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.