This Week In RL - May 29-June 4 2018

It’s a slow start to the week in RL as we wind down from the Bank Holiday but by Wednesday it’s business as usual with the news that someone else is leaving Wigan. While the pie fans wait to be put out of their misery over John Bateman’s future they first of all need to digest the fact that Ryan Sutton will become the latest Englishman to join Canberra Raiders.

The 22-year-old goes to the Australian capital on a two-year deal from 2019 and follows in the footsteps of England stars Elliott Whitehead, Josh Hodgson and….er…..Jordan Turner in joining up with the Green Machine;



“Being a young lad from Wigan it was a tough decision to make to leave my hometown club but I’ve always wanted to try my hand in the NRL and this was a great opportunity for me.” Explained Sutton, who needn’t worry too much given Wigan’s willingness to take back players who leave but find that they can’t get smack barms elsewhere.

Perhaps the biggest news of the week arrives on Thursday when it is announced that Denis Betts and Widnes Vikings have parted company. The former Wigan and Great Britain forward has been in charge of the Vikings for eight years without ever once threatening to return the club to the glory days of their illustrious past;

“Whilst it is regrettable to lose someone of his experience and commitment, we believe that it is now the right time for a change in leadership.” Barfed Widnes Chief Executive James Rule, without a trace of irony. Former Leeds winger Francis Cummins takes over as interim coach with the side rooted to the bottom of the Super League table with just three wins from 15 games.

Later on Thursday the RFL finally come up with some sort of strategy for boosting attendances in the Challenge Cup, announcing that the semi-final ties will be played as a double header at Bolton Wanderers Macron Stadium on Sunday August 5;

“We believe that this unique event will offer another opportunity for the sport to showcase itself to a wider audience of event goers and casual sports fans.” Blathered RFL interim Chief Executive Ralph Rimmer;

“Rugby League prides itself on being innovative and trying new concepts.” He adds, remembering the sports other recent gems such as Club Call, franchising, eight-team play-off systems and allowing James Child to check the video for a possible obstruction.

Catalans Dragons will be the first team competing in the big show at Bolton as they see off Huddersfield Giants in the first quarter-final on Thursday. The game is one of the most turgid anyone can remember since any number of clashes between the bottom 14 teams in football’s Premier League, but the cow-bell soundtrack just about keeps most viewers awake as Steve McNamara’s side run out 20-6 winners.

Thursday transfer news sees Castleford Tigers address the fullback problem they have had since Zak Hardaker’s drug test last October by signing Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e from Halifax until the end of the season;

“Q understands that this is a six month deal but sees it as a huge opportunity to test himself at Super League level and contribute to the Tigers 2018 campaign” says Tigers Director Of Rugby and Sky’s only sane analyst Jon Wells. Neither M, 007 nor Miss Moneypenny were available for comment.



Friday night sees Leeds Rhinos join Catalans in the last four of the Challenge Cup with a 52-22 win over Leigh Centurions at Featherstone. The match was switched from Headingley to allow England’s cricketers to go about the business of redeeming themselves for their abysmal performance in the first test against Pakistan. Leigh start well and score first, but are written off when Peter Mata’utia body-slams Matt Parcell to the ground and is shown the yellow card by referee Chris Kendall;

“Peter has been fantastic for us all season and he hasn’t got a nasty bone in him.” Reckons Centurions boss Keiron Purtill, who also sees former Saint Matty Dawson-Jones dismissed late on for saying something not very nice at all to the referee;

All sorts of fun at Wigan’s expense on Saturday as they crash out of the Challenge Cup at Warrington. Not only are Shaun Wane’s side beaten, but they fail to register a single point and go down 23-0 to Steve Price’s Wolves outfit;

“We got beaten in every facet of rugby league. That’s not like a Wigan team I coach and I’m really disappointed, especially with the importance of the game. They wanted it more, they were by far the better team. We weren’t at the races.” Says Wane.

Turns out there might have been a reason for Wigan minds to be elsewhere as it is revealed on Saturday night via the dubious medium of Twitter that Joel and Sam Tomkins have been Albert Kelly-ing all over their home town. A video hits social media showing Joel offering female staff at a Wigan bar the benefit of his wisdom while also failing demonstrably to keep his hands to himself.

By Sunday Joel is facing a four-week suspension from the club, a £10,000 fine and the promise of some very serious chatter about his future at the club. Sam is fined £5,000 for what appears to amount to standing around and looking embarrassed and not doing very much, which if that were the criteria would have seen him fined every Friday night since about 2013.

On the field Saints complete the semi-final line-up with an excruciating 25-22 home win over Hull FC which you can read more on here.

My rather skewed week ends on Monday’s for this column, so this week culminates with Manu Vatuvei being released from Salford Red Devils just in time before anyone notices that he was ever there;

“Unfortunately, the injury Manu sustained in pre-season meant that he would be out for the full season.” Explains Red Devils Director Of Rugby Ian Blease;

“We had hoped that Manu would have played a significant part in our 2018 campaign however we now feel that it is best for both parties for Manu to return home.” He adds, after the former New Zealand international having mustered just the eight appearances since arriving last July thanks to an Achilles tendon injury before the start of their 2018 opener.