Again, dated, but what else is there to do at 5am.
LATUS ON TRACK AFTER 'HAYNE TRAIN' EXPERIENCE
By Wayne Gardiner, Press Association Sport
While Australia superstar Jarryd Hayne spent the weekend hogging the headlines Down Under following another supersonic display for Parramatta, back in Hull, rookie winger Sam Latus took further steps on his path to trying to establish himself as a first-team Super League player.
On the face of it, there is nothing to link the man they call 'The Hayne Train' and 20-year-old Latus, a former rugby union scholar now cutting his teeth with Hull KR.
But actually, there is.
In a bid to speed up his transition from the 15-man code to the 13-man one, Latus, and his older brother Jack, also on Rovers' books, spent a winter training with Hayne and his Parramatta team-mates.
The move was initiated by Rovers' analyst Andrew Webster, previously on the Eels' books himself, and it allowed Latus to learn the game off the likes of Hayne, FuiFui MoiMoi and Nathan Cayless.
His switch to the sport has been successful too, having played the past five games for Rovers since breaking into the first-team in a 16-16 draw at Huddersfield.
He scored his first senior try in Saturday's 49-24 win over Bradford and is more than happy that his hard work - including going to Sydney off his own back - is starting to pay off.
``Going over to Parramatta really helped me learn the game,'' he told Press Association Sport.
``It wasn't an easy switch from union but I've been going at it a few years now with the coaches. I've gradually learn the game and I'm really enjoying it.
``Going somewhere like that, with all their heritage, was a really good experience for both me and Jack and we have done out best to bring it back over here with us.
``While we were out there we got to train with Jarryd Hayne who had just come back from the World Cup where he had been playing with Fiji.
``He's been doing really well since then, he's someone I admire a lot and he's playing fantastically well at the moment.''
Latus' selection for the Bradford game was something of a surprise for many, after he endured a torrid time in the Hull derby the week before.
With Hull targeting his inexperience, he came up with a number of costly errors as the Robins lost 20-16.
But coach Justin Morgan retained his faith in Latus, who repaid him with a stellar show against the Bulls.
``A few things didn't go my way in the derby game but Justin, the coaching staff and all the players have been really good with me and kept my confidence up,'' he added.
``Justin showing the faith he did in me helped.
``I tried to be solid against Bradford and eradicate the errors from my game and to get my try was great.
``I've really enjoyed being in the first team. The players have made it a lot easier for me to fit in. They've been playing really well and and me being on the back of that has made it easier for me. It's been going great.
``I just want to keep going until the end of the season and if there's a space it will hopefully come my way.''
Monday 14 February 2011
Ben Jones-Bishop re-run
After his hat-trick against Bradford yesterday, here's a re-run of a feature I did as part of my day job on Ben Jones-Bishop last summer.
It's a bit dated now but, hey, it's free, innit.
BEN HEADS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
By Wayne Gardiner, Press Association Sport
Although Harlequins' recent form has been poor, there have been flashes of light for the London club - most notably the performances of rookie full-back Ben Jones-Bishop.
The 21-year-old is revelling in his first full season in the Engage Super League having moved to the capital on loan from Leeds, scoring eight tries in his 13 appearances for Brian McDermott's men.
It has not been all plain sailing for the Leeds-born player, though, with his career coming dangerously close to being in jeopardy when he fractured his skull playing against Wigan in April.
After initially complaining of a headache following a collision, the situation quickly became more serious for Jones-Bishop, who has defied initial predictions to return to the field this year, albeit with the help of three metal plates inside his skull.
``It sounds worse than it actually was,'' he told Press Association Sport. ``I clashed heads with Lee Mossop, one of the Wigan players, and I didn't think anything of it at the time, because I just had a little bit of a headache.
``I carried on until half-time and things had got worse and I was feeling the pain more. I had a word with the doctor and he made the decision to get me checked out. It was then that I discovered that I had fractured my skull, as there was a dent in my forehead!
``It had caused damage to my sinus passage and there was a big pocket of air just in behind my forehead. I had to have surgery and they worked on pushing the dent in my forehead back out by putting three metal plates behind it.
``As a result I've got to wear a scrum cap until the end of the season like Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech does, and then I'll have to decide whether or not to keep wearing it.''
Jones-Bishop made his return to action against Wigan 10 days ago, scoring a try as the Quins fell to defeat, before adding two more touchdowns to his tally in Friday's loss at Salford.
After such a horrific injury he could have been forgiven for approaching his comeback with some trepidation, although he admits that as it turned out, the pace of the game was the only thing to cause him any concern.
``I did feel a bit nervous before but once I started playing I was fine,'' he said. ``It was the pace of the game that troubled me more than anything, as my fitness was a bit off after six or seven weeks out.
``I tried not to think about the injury coming back, though, because you can't play your game that way. I've just got to get on with my rugby as though it never happened.''
Once he has seen the season out with the Quins, Jones-Bishop will return to Headingley to link up with a Leeds squad aiming to win a fourth successive Super League crown.
As a result, competition for a place in the Rhinos side is tough, something which will carry on into 2011 after they signed up seven more of their first-team stars on new contracts only last week.
That makes it even harder for Jones-Bishop to plot his route to stardom with his parent club, although he remains confident of making it in West Yorkshire.
``Even if you're not playing you're training with some great players and learning from them,'' he added.
``In my position you have Brent Webb, Lee Smith and Kallum Watkins and you have to be able to learn from them.
``I'm confident that when I go back there, and they've said they want me back, that I can work hard and hopefully get a chance.''
It's a bit dated now but, hey, it's free, innit.
BEN HEADS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
By Wayne Gardiner, Press Association Sport
Although Harlequins' recent form has been poor, there have been flashes of light for the London club - most notably the performances of rookie full-back Ben Jones-Bishop.
The 21-year-old is revelling in his first full season in the Engage Super League having moved to the capital on loan from Leeds, scoring eight tries in his 13 appearances for Brian McDermott's men.
It has not been all plain sailing for the Leeds-born player, though, with his career coming dangerously close to being in jeopardy when he fractured his skull playing against Wigan in April.
After initially complaining of a headache following a collision, the situation quickly became more serious for Jones-Bishop, who has defied initial predictions to return to the field this year, albeit with the help of three metal plates inside his skull.
``It sounds worse than it actually was,'' he told Press Association Sport. ``I clashed heads with Lee Mossop, one of the Wigan players, and I didn't think anything of it at the time, because I just had a little bit of a headache.
``I carried on until half-time and things had got worse and I was feeling the pain more. I had a word with the doctor and he made the decision to get me checked out. It was then that I discovered that I had fractured my skull, as there was a dent in my forehead!
``It had caused damage to my sinus passage and there was a big pocket of air just in behind my forehead. I had to have surgery and they worked on pushing the dent in my forehead back out by putting three metal plates behind it.
``As a result I've got to wear a scrum cap until the end of the season like Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech does, and then I'll have to decide whether or not to keep wearing it.''
Jones-Bishop made his return to action against Wigan 10 days ago, scoring a try as the Quins fell to defeat, before adding two more touchdowns to his tally in Friday's loss at Salford.
After such a horrific injury he could have been forgiven for approaching his comeback with some trepidation, although he admits that as it turned out, the pace of the game was the only thing to cause him any concern.
``I did feel a bit nervous before but once I started playing I was fine,'' he said. ``It was the pace of the game that troubled me more than anything, as my fitness was a bit off after six or seven weeks out.
``I tried not to think about the injury coming back, though, because you can't play your game that way. I've just got to get on with my rugby as though it never happened.''
Once he has seen the season out with the Quins, Jones-Bishop will return to Headingley to link up with a Leeds squad aiming to win a fourth successive Super League crown.
As a result, competition for a place in the Rhinos side is tough, something which will carry on into 2011 after they signed up seven more of their first-team stars on new contracts only last week.
That makes it even harder for Jones-Bishop to plot his route to stardom with his parent club, although he remains confident of making it in West Yorkshire.
``Even if you're not playing you're training with some great players and learning from them,'' he added.
``In my position you have Brent Webb, Lee Smith and Kallum Watkins and you have to be able to learn from them.
``I'm confident that when I go back there, and they've said they want me back, that I can work hard and hopefully get a chance.''
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