And I bet he doesn't turn out against Siddal either!!

Sheffield v Toulouse, Gateshead v Whitehaven, Siddal v Swinton, Keighley v Pia are all games that could be interesting. Wath Brow I think could easily beat Skolars, Kells will give Hunslet a tough game and Leeds Met could beat Rochdale. Some very interesting games.

Just speaking to a mate and he says the Students are a very good team and will not be that easy. The Union side is in NL3 in the Union Structure and Loughboro is THE Sports Uni in the UK. Fax should win but it will not be a walkover maybe we think it would be.

They were featured in their first 2 games in the cup on The Super league Show, one was against Nottingham Outlaws and one against another Uni.

Think their following game was going to be covered too. I think it was played Sunday so will be on on Sunday

Harry Gration will no doubt have something to say this week...

But sadly, nothing of merit because after twenty odd years in and out of covering the game he still knows bollock all about it.

Aussie Coach a few years ago Bobby Fulton told him what he thought of him-was great to see Grations reaction!

I remember that. Fulton enquired as to his knowledge of the game - in a blunt and typical Aussie fashion.

I also remember Gration interviewing Graham Eadie on his comeback from retirement - the second time - 1988 i think it was. His opening line went something like this:
"Now then Graham, you've retired more time than ...... [stumbles for the apt name] ....erm ....[brain gives up on trying to find Sinatra] ....erm.....anyone - what's going on....?

Plank.

Most of these games are a complete waste of time. If we put half a decent team out its going to be 60 or 70 points where on the other hand we risk picking up needless injuries due to the opposiotion trying to make a `name` for themselves.

Brings me to a story that if i remember rightly Steve Ganson tells. He was reffing a cup game with Leeds playing an amateur team. Anyway this forward wanting to make a `name` for himself cops Barrie Mcdermott with a right haymaker that leaves the big prop on the floor, a defanate red card. The ref goes over to Barrie to check make sure hes ok. Barrie just says to him dont you dare send him off. So the ref calls out the amateur player who walks up to the ref like a true hardman thinking hes going to be bragging about getting sent off for the tackle on Big Baz. Anyway the ref in question just says to the player thats a bad tackle and i dont want to see anything like that again now go back to your team. Apparently the player turned whiter than a ghost when he realised he was staying on the field.

Remember his games against us for Leeds when he tried everything not to score against us apart from the game winning penalty in 97!

I don't think there will be as much of that from a Uni side as you'd get from some Amateur sides, such as the ones with Ex-Pros turning out trying to prove they still have it. Or with the obligatory Old Hardman wanting to cement his place in club folklore.

One thing about this game is, we won't be putting out the second team, as, all our players are first team players