Castleford Tigers have got a spring in their step says Daniel Smith

Tigers will aim to go back-to-back when they visit one of Smith’s former clubs, Huddersfield Giants, tomorrow.

Smith set Tigers on course for their first win of the season with a try after less than 10 seconds against Hull last Sunday and confirmed: “Everyone has got a bit of confidence back.”

Reflecting on the difference a victory makes, Smith said: “Obviously it’s not good losing the first three, but you can see everyone’s got a bit of a spring in their step.

“That should lead into this week against Huddersfield. It is good to get the monkey off our back.”

Smith added: “I thought we were good, very crisp with the ball and hopefully we can back that up this week.

“We aim to win every week so we just need to keep turning up and I’m sure if we play like we did last weekend we’ll come away with the two points.”

Giants have lost only one of their first four games in Betfred Super League and Smith pin-pointed young play-maker Will Pryce and hooker Danny Levi as two of their dangermen.

“They have got some decent players and some strike as well,” he warned.

“I am sure if we can contain them we will do all right.”

Smith’s try last week came after Ligi Sao couldn’t hold on to Jake Connor’s pass from the kick-off and the Tigers forward pounced to score Super League’s second-fastest touchdown.

“I didn’t expect that to happen,” he recalled. “I was expecting a big carry off Ligi Sao, but he fumbled it and I got it and scored.

“I was laughing when I scored, I couldn’t believe it had happened. It was a weird one, I’ve never seen that happen before.

“It was probably the easiest try I’ve ever scored.”

That set the tone for a clinical performance and Smith said: “We created some chances in the first three games and just didn’t capitalise.

“Last week we put pressure on and capitalised, so that was good for us.

“We need to build pressure, turn the ball over in the right areas and complete our sets with no errors.”

Meanwhile, Russia will not be allowed to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, meaning Georgia have sealed their place at the tournament in France. World Rugby suspended Russia from international and cross-border competition following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Rugby World Cup board confirmed yesterday that this meant Russia could not complete their qualification matches.

As a result, Georgia are now guaranteed one of the European qualification places. Spain, Portugal and Romania are now competing for the second qualification spot.

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