Rangi Chase slams experts who think they know best

Castleford Tigers star stand-off Rangi Chase has reserved some scathing words for the rugby league press pack, as well as armchair ‘experts’ on the game.

The England international laughs at the way in which some observers seem to think that he only stands out at Cas because of the average players around him.

“There’s experts out there who’ll say that some player can do this, or some player can’t do that,” he told SLTV.

“You put me in a top team and there’ll be other players there who’ll shine as well.

“But I’m just doing my job. I’ll never know until I get put in a top team, so you can never judge.

“But these so-called experts seem to know everything, and say I only shine at Cas because Cas are only average players.

“I don’t think there is any answer for it really.

“It’s one of those questions I’m not really bothered about really.”

As a born and bred Kiwi and proud Maori, Chase admits that it was somewhat strange to pull on the white shirt of England for the first time in 2011.

“It was a proud moment, but it was a bit weird as well,” he said.

“I wasn’t sure how the boys were going to take it. Obviously there were a lot of people kicking off about it, and there still are a lot of people kicking off about it.

“But it was a proud moment. At first it was hard because I wondered if my team mates wanted me there.

“But as it’s gone on I feel like I’m a part of the team. It’s one of those special moments.

“Not everyone gets to play for England and you have to be at the top of your game to get that honour.

“There’s always going to be people out there who are never happy with anything, whatever happens.

“They’ve got their little articles to write, and sometimes I think they do it on purpose to cause a little controversy.”

Chase found himself in the headlines again last season when he missed a game with Leed Rhinos for disciplinary reasons.

As it turns out, alcohol was beginning to play a significant, and negative, part in his life at the time. He is glad though that the incident served to remind him of his responsibilities.

“No, I don’t regret it at all. I was going through a bad time with my lifestyle,” he said.

“I’ve fixed it up now. I was letting alcohol into my life and my career too much. 

“I missed the Leeds game because I went out on the drink, and it’s nearly cost me my career at Cas.

“I’ve fixed it up, and it’s just one of those things. I don’t regret it.

“I’m glad it happened, because it was the wake-up call I needed. I’m feeling good. It’s the best I’ve ever felt actually.

“People outside looking in don’t really know the things that I was going through.

“From the outside looking in it looks like I’m a spoilt little brat who didn’t care. But I just had a problem and I didn’t know how to handle it.

“I’ve come through life making a lot of mistakes along the way. I’ve never really had a role model to push me or lead me in the right direction.

“As a kid I’ve had to learn by doing things, and sometimes they weren’t always right.

“I’m 26 years of age and I’ve got a little family. It’s come to a point where it’s enough.

“I’ve got a little boy. It’s alright if I keep letting myself down, but I can’t let him down.”

The topic of him moving away from the Tigers has also been something which seems to recur every few weeks in the rugby league media.

While Chase would love to stay a Cas man, and wants to live in the town when he has retired from playing, he admits that it is hard to read the future path of his career.

“I think any fans can’t expect anyone to be there for the rest of their lives,” he said.

“It’s a business. There’s no loyalty in our game any more where someone’s going to stay at one club for 20 years, it’s just doesn’t happen.

“A lot can happen in the year, a lot can happen in three months, anything can happen.

“I think sometimes fans think once you sign somewhere than you’ve got to stay there and if you leave then you’re not loyal.

“It’s such a cut-throat business that you’ve got to do what’s best for you and your family.

“All I can do is focus on the immediate. I’m 100 per cent into, and that’s all they need to know.

“I’ll definitely be here when I’m retired.

“Like I say, I’d love to be a one-club man over here, and love to just play for Cas.

“But you never know what can happen. It would be a fairytale if I stayed here and played the rest of my career here, and won a Challenge Cup and a Super League trophy.”