Castleford Tigers star teams up with Leeds Rhinos rival to prepare for Super League return

Friends turned rivals Paul McShane and Luke Gale have helped each other stay in shape for Betfred Super League’s comeback.
Paul McShane, left, congratulates Luke Gale following his drop goal for Tigers against Rhinos at Elland Road in 2018. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.comPaul McShane, left, congratulates Luke Gale following his drop goal for Tigers against Rhinos at Elland Road in 2018. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
Paul McShane, left, congratulates Luke Gale following his drop goal for Tigers against Rhinos at Elland Road in 2018. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Castleford Tigers hooker McShane and Gale, the Leeds Rhinos half-back, put club allegiances to one side during the Covid-19 layoff.

Rhinos will face Huddersfield Giants on Sunday, August 2, with Tigers returning to action a week later, though their opponents have yet to be revealed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Both teams are set to resume full training 20 days before their first game back, but the easing of lockdown restrictions has allowed players to get together in small groups.

Luke Gale scores for Rhinos in this season's win at Salford. Picture by Steve Riding.Luke Gale scores for Rhinos in this season's win at Salford. Picture by Steve Riding.
Luke Gale scores for Rhinos in this season's win at Salford. Picture by Steve Riding.

“I’ve been [running] in groups of twos, four, fives,” McShane confirmed. “I’ve also done some sessions with Galey - he is local to me so it doesn’t really matter if he’s a teammate or not.”

Gale and McShane are both Rhinos academy products and were together at Tigers from 2015-2019.

“Just getting with someone and running, it helps,” McShane added. “We are in contact all the time and our missuses get on really well - he’s a good fella.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

McShane described training alone at the height of lockdown as “really hard”.

Paul McShane passes from the base of a scrum during Tigers' win over Wakefield in February. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.Paul McShane passes from the base of a scrum during Tigers' win over Wakefield in February. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.
Paul McShane passes from the base of a scrum during Tigers' win over Wakefield in February. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

He recalled: “It was all right when the weather was good, but when the weather’s not great it is definitely hard to train on your own.

“There’s no competitiveness there and no one to beat really, just yourself.”

Coach Daryl Powell will hold his first session with Tigers’ full squad on Monday, July 20 and McShane reckons three weeks will be enough time to prepare for the return to action.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think so,” he said. “If players have looked after themselves and they’ve kept on top of their fitness and pushed themselves, I don’t see why not.

“The big thing is the contact, getting your body used to that again. Time will tell with that, but I think on the fitness side of it you can maintain that. It’s just the match stuff, the contact and things like that.”

The restart date has given players across Super League something to aim for at last.

“It seems like it has been forever since we last played,” admitted McShane, who led the Man of Steel voting going into the unscheduled break.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think just to get back around your teammates will be a massive lift. In lockdown you try and train on your own, but it just doesn’t do it.

“We can’t wait to get back and hopefully we can pick up from where we left off and slip straight back into it.”

Tigers final game before the shutdown was a 28-14 home win over St Helens on March 15, which left them second in the table.

“That was probably one of our best performances in a long time and we’ve got to take confidence from that and have the belief that we can do it against the top sides,” McShane insisted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Everyone was buzzing after that and then obviously this hit and it was a big downer for us, but I think we are confident we can do it.”

Matches next month will initially be played behind closed doors, though clubs hope crowds could be allowed back as early as September.

McShane predicted: “It will be really weird because your fans motivate you, especially down at Cas.

“The fans are a big lift and they will definitely be missed, but I think if we want to have a good crack at this year and push for silverware we just need to block that out and get on with our jobs.”

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes- from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you

Laura Collins

Editor

READ MORE:

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/opinion/were-therewithyou-now-your-yep-needs-your-support-too-laura-collins-yep-editor-2521777

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.