Knock on 6 with Jonny Bell

Correspondent

Two weeks without a Knock On, I’m not really sure how everybody coped, but here we go. I’m back again, refreshed and taking a look back at the previous fortnight’s action and the rugby league news.

Team of the fortnight – Wigan Warriors

Since my last blog the Warriors have been the biggest rugby league winners as they followed up a tough 28-24 victory over St Helens with three more victories and stretch their winning run to five on the spin.

Their last game exposed more about the ever-increasing quality gap between Super League and the Championship with a 52-0 rout of Barrow Raiders in the Challenge Cup. A record number of points for the Challenge Cup fifth round was helped by a few routs for the top teams against their inferior opponents but that’s not to say that others didn’t come close to upsetting the apple cart.

Anyway, Wigan’s defensive master class and 26-0 win at Wakefield was the start of a good two weeks for the side. Their 48-16 win at Crusaders was the middle with Sam Tomkins running the show since I’ve been away. These solid displays has seen them joint top with a game in hand with their four joint rivals.

Story of the fortnight – Brian Noble to Halifax

Yes, we’ve all seen it, this is the rugby league news that ‘Fax are on the verge of appointing Brian Noble to a consultancy role within the Championship club. The official club line is that, after a tough beginning to the 2011 season, Noble has been approached to offer his experience to current head coach Matt Calland.

The former Great Britain and Crusaders head coach has been out of work since Crusaders lost at Huddersfield Giants at the end of last season and is tipped to take the role. Calland has gone on record to say that he’s looking forward to working with Noble.

We’ll have to see how it pans out and hope that this isn’t a double edged sword for the Yorkshire side. Similar things have been unsuccessful in the world of football.

Blog of the fortnight – Overseas coaching debate

Despite my absence the Love Rugby League blogosphere has continued to serve and comment the rugby league world. Discussing the latest news and adding our views on the big issues.

Joe Whitley decided to have a look in to the Australian coaches in our game. It’s a fair comment to question why teams are forced to abide by the home-grown ruling when eight of the top flight teams have a foreign coach and Michael Maguire has seemingly simply served an apprenticeship in our top flight to go back to the NRL. Read the full blog by clicking the following link to the overseas coaching debate.

Super League franchise name of the fortnight – Abbottabad Antelopes

Topical.