Lloyd compares Welsh RL spirit to successful soccer side

Wales back rower Rhodri Lloyd believes that the team spirit generated in the squad by coach John Kear can help the Welsh beat France this week.

A win over France at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday evening would put Wales in a strong position to claim the European Championship crown, with them already having beaten Scotland in their opening fixture.

“It’ll be tough this Friday against the French but we’ll prepare well for them,” said Lloyd.

“There’ll be Super League players on each side and they’ll be full of Catalans Dragons players, people like Morgan Escare who have established themselves.

“But we’ve got a great tightknit group, a bit like the Wales football side, full of experience and it’ll be a very physical affair.”

Lloyd remembers being introduced to rugby league in his hometown of Caerphilly, while attending Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni.

He was also a part of the Newport-Gwent Dragons rugby union youth set-up, but chose the 13-man code instead.

Now at Wigan, Lloyd played much of his rugby in 2015 at Swinton Lions on loan. He remembers how he was drawn to league as a youngster at school.

“As well as playing, I’d watched a few games of rugby league and I saw how much of a faster game it was and how it suited me more,” he said.

“It’s really exciting and I hope a lot of the local rugby union fans will come down and watch it. It’ll be full of tries which is why people go to watch rugby.

“I’m sure quite a few of the Cwm Rhymni boys will go down to watch it. I know that Jeremy Evans, the teacher there is a passionate rugby league fan, he’s coached the school side for years and I hear his son captained Glantaf at Wembley in their win there earlier this year.

“I think they’ll add to a crowd that should be a few thousand.”