Rip-Roaring Start

Correspondent

Well, I'm going to start with the rip-roaring start to the new Super League season. It would have taken a brave man to back Catalans to draw against Hull and Harlequins to beat St Helens in round one. Hull KR made a cracking start with a wonderful win against Wakefield. It looked and is still looking to be a very tight Super League this year.

After three rounds Hull KR are in fifth position and Hull FC in 11th. If you had asked most rugby league fans they would have said Hull FC would be in fifth and KR in 11th. It just shows the unpredictability of the league – 2006 Grand Finalists near the drop zone. I suppose it's too early to say the positions won't change, but I can guarantee some very entertaining action.

Now focusing on the Super League newbies: four points out of a possible six for a team tipped to be struggling at the end of the year – not bad to get four points in three games. They look like a side that will never lie down until the final hooter has sounded, as they did in the Wakefield game. KR face a massive task in travelling to the JJB on Friday, but who knows, the returning Stanley Gene could guide them to another shock.

On to the other side of Hull, were Hull FC have made quite a poor start to the season. They were held to a draw against Les Catalans, a game were there performance was poor, very poor they lacked creativity and ideas and were lucky to get a point. The next Friday they did not handle the appalling conditions as well as Leeds did. This week they were unlucky not to get a point, lee Briers this time showed his class with a lovely last minute drop goal.

Round three of Super League was entertaining with Catalans picking up a shock win against Leeds, but another shock result was the out of form St Helens defeating the Brisbane Broncos. St Helens were poor in their first three games, but on Friday night they showed their true class in attack and defence and what a performance that was from the returning captain Paul Sculthorpe.

It wasn't the best start for St Helens, with Ade Gardner gifting Brisbane six points. When the Aussie champs went 8-0 up, things were looking like another defeat for the Saints. They held out in defence and were rewarded a minute before half time with a wonderful try from Gardner. Sculthorpe kicked the goal of the sideline. St Helens lacked a decent goal-kicker this season, so it would be a relief to have a reliable goal-kicker on the field.

St Helens started in the second half in poor fashion. They were lucky not to be 20-6 down within 5 minutes. Again St Helens held out and managed to cross again to make the game 12-14. St Helens showed they could keep their cool and be patient and scored a great try, again from Gardner, talk about going from villain to hero.

St Helens proved to their fans that they are capable of winning games. Si the fans will expect a very strong performance against the bulls on friday. Should be a great crowd, great atmosphere, great game. Can't wait.

Next week on ‘Talking Rugby’ I’ll be giving my views on BSkyB's coverage of Rugby League, the Varsity match and I’ll be talking about Wakefield and Bradford's start to the season.

Until next time
Chris