sportingFACTIONS :: Code XIII

S4C launched their coverage of the Celtic Crusaders in great style on Saturday.

The show was fronted by the captivating Sarra Elgan and unlike Eddie Hemmings or Claire Balding I could listen to Sarra talk for a very long time; even if most of it was in Welsh.

The presentation of the game was very well done. including inserted interviews with spectators.

And of course the game delivered on the pitch with the result in doubt right until the end.

I look forward to seeing their next broadcast, which will be Crusaders clash with Workington.

Two St Helens born and bred RL players epitomised the fine line between champions and also-rans on Saturday.

The two incidents occurred within a couple of minutes of each other during Saints come-from-behind Challenge Cup quarter final win.

A decade ago Lee Briers was an up and coming half back with his home town club, playing in the deep shadow of Bobbie Goulding. When Goulding was suspended he stepped into the limelight, played six games scored 52 points and helped his team reach Wembley.

But he never set foot on the Wembley turf in Saints colours. Goulding waltzed back into the team and inspired a Saints win. Briers seeing the writing on the wall opted to move-on and eventually joined the Wolves.

Also watching from the Wembley stands with his school mates was a certain Paul Wellens.

Ten years on the pair were locked in tense combat as Saints fought for their Challenge Cup lives.

With his team leading 14-12 and pressing on the Saints line Briers was unable to reel-in a tired pass in front of the Saints’ posts. The scrum relieved a 5-minute Wolves siege.

Two plays later Wellens was linking with the attack in midfield and heading into the oblivion of a two-man bear-hug tackle. But he didn’t go easy.

Determination is the this that ultimately defines the champion. A fierce self belief and a determination not to go down cheaply.

Wellens fought off Paul Rauhihi’s grapple and spun out of the grasp of Andy Bracek, just enough to slip the ball free to the supporting Keiron Cunningham.

KC’s inside ball sent Jon Wilkin hurtling through the line, with Sean Long and Lee Gilmour linking to finish the move with a try and (Wellens) goal, That score took all the steam out of the Warrington effort and effectively killed the game at 18-14 on the hour.

Briers is a good player. Wellens is a great player. It’s hard to articulate the difference … but you know it when you see it.

Salford have a press conference set for today at which they will make an announcement on their coaching situation.

It’s widely expected that former Saints and Hull FC coach, Shaun McRae, will be named as Karl Harrison’s replacement.

And maybe he wil be.

My thoughts? It’s a big mistake for both parties.

McRae’s a good bloke who did a great job coaching talented Saints outfit and an adequate job coaching a less  talented Hull team. His record trying to kick-start a weak Rabbitohs side in the NRL was less impressive and closer to the job he’ll be called on to do at Salford.

For mine, McRae should have joined Paul Cullen at the Wolves. Working alongside Cullen he could have helped coax the best out of a talented but under-achieving Warrington side. As a bonus he would have imparted valuable experience to an aspiring ‘young’ British coach.

It’s a far easier job to make Warrington a top four contender than to keep the Reds out of National League One. And if they do slip down what price McRae then?

As it is it seems the Wolves sticky situation may turn out to be a way back from ‘the Dark Side‘ for League’s prodigal son … Ellery Hanley.

Whether Hanley can be tempted back, and how he would fit into the structure working with Cullen – or replacing him – remains to be seen.

It’s clear that the Wolves have talent and that Cullen is almost a good coach: both need a touch of experience and a good shove in the right direction to get them over the hump.

McRae could do it. So too Hanley, who may see it as a stepping stone to greater things when Tony Smith’s reign as GB coach peters out.

Oh and a good short stint saving the Wolves wouldn’t do him any harm chasing the Leeds Rhinos role either.