Hull FC v Hull KR

KO: 12:15pm  Date: Friday 22nd April - Sky Sports 1 (from 12pm)

Referee: P Bentham 

Video Referee: I Smith

Venue: KC Stadium

Teams:

Hull FC (17 from): T. Briscoe, Dowes, Fitzgibbon, Gleeson, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Long, Manu, Moa, Obst , O'Meley, Phelps, Sharp, Tickle, Turner, Westerman, Whiting, Yeaman.

Hull KR (17 from): Cook, Cockayne, Clinton, Dobson Fisher, Galea, Green, Fox, Hodgson, Latus, Lovegrove, Murrell, Netherton, Sheriff, Taylor, Vella, Webster, Welham, Watts.

The fans of these two teams will tell you that this is the biggest and best derby in Rugby League, I’d agree with them, however, fans of other teams would more than likely say that their derby is better. To me, the Hull derby is the best one, because it is the only inner city derby we have in Super League and no matter what sort of form each team is in, the result is always unpredictable. 

Hull KR beat their West Hull enemies in the first meeting between these two teams in Round 1, however, they have only won twice more since that victory. Hull currently sit one place above KR, as they’re in 11^th and Hull KR in 12^th, but the home side are only ahead on points difference.

Neither team are on top form either as Hull FC lost to Catalans and Hull KR to Wigan. Both sides are clearly desperate for the two points and the match is guaranteed to be full of drama, as all Hull Derbies are.

Much of the attention this week has been on Hull KR’s Willie Mason who may only be in for a short stay at the Robins as speculation has continued to build over his future at the club and whether he may be crossing codes to play Union for the French side, Toulon. The club’s management released a statement yesterday saying that they didn’t know anything about the move, as they had not been approached for a possible sale, and that they were still waiting for his Tongan passport to arrive so they could take him off the quota. However, early today they de-registered him to make way for scrum-half Michael Dobson who is returning from injury, he is eligible to play in the Hull Derby tomorrow. 

Whereas on the opposite side of Hull, Richard Agar has dropped two players, Lee Radford and Reece Lyne, due to poor performances in the game against Catalans last week, but will give a debut to former Wigan bad-boy Martin Gleeson.

No matter what happens it is sure to be a great game of rugby, and hopefully a great spectacle for the game we all love. It could go either way, good luck to both sides and may the best team win!

Betting (prices correct from Ladbrokes at 18:00 Thurs 21.04.2011):

Hull FC- 4/7

Hull KR- 11/8

Draw- 18/1

Hannah. 

Bradford Bulls v Leeds Rhinos

KO: 20:00  Date: Thursday 21st April - Sky Sports 2

Referee: T Alibert 

Video Referee: B Thaler

Teams;

Bradford Bulls (17 from)- Ainscough, Ah Van, Bateman, Burgess, Diskin, Donaldson, Elima, Hargreaves, Herbert, Kearney, Kopczak, L'Estrange, Lynch, Olbison, Platt, Raynor, Walker, Royston, Whitehead.

Leeds Rhinos (17 from)- Webb, Smith, Delaney, Senior, Hall, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Cross, Kirke, Burgess, Watkins, Hauraki, Clarkson, McShane.

Both teams are coming into the second West Yorkshire derby, between these two teams, of the season on the back of a loss. Bradford's to Salford and Leeds' to Huddersfield. The two teams are nothing like the Bradford and Leeds of previous years, as their key players got older and retired - or got older and moved to other teams, most notably Robbie (Hunter) Paul - they have both become shadows of their former selves.  

Leeds have one over on Bradford this year having won the first meeting between the two teams this year at Millennium Magic in round 1. The drama-filled, high scoring contest ended Leeds 32-28 Bradford.

The Rhinos are without Ryan Bailey for this match as he was handed a one match ban by The RFL for fighting in last Friday's match against Huddersfield, Ben Jones Bishop and two long-term absentees in Danny Maguire and Jamie Peacock, who are both expected to be returning in the next few weeks as they have both returned to full training with the rest of the squad, are also out for Leeds.  

Bradford coach Mick Potter has dropped Paul Sykes, so he can bring Michael Platt back into the team after injury. Their new winger Patrick Ah Van also returns from injury which can hopefully add a bit of spark into a lowly team. 

Ticket sales are at 17,000 and it is expected to be a sell out despite the poor form of both sides.  

Bradford coach Mick Potter:

"Both teams are desperate for the two points. They're coming off the back of a couple of performances they'd like to leave behind and we need to bounce back after last week.

"We had a look at what we didn't do well and some things we need to accept. But it was a poor game and we need to put it behind us very quickly.

"We had some guys with some good intentions but some poor execution and poor communication and we'll look to rectify those things. I'm confident the players can give a better account of themselves."

Leeds coach Brian McDermott:

"We are beginning to get some bodies back on board now.

"Lee Smith and Ali Lauitiiti are a couple of weeks away and Danny McGuire and Jamie Peacock are now back in full time training with the squad."

Heroes.

When Denman and Kauto Star approached the final bend in the 2011 running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup together, I and the majority of racing fans, who were either watching on the TV or at Cheltenham itself, were overcome with emotions as they roared the “old guard” home. This was the race we’d wanted in the three previous years which they had raced against eachother in the very same race. In 2008, Kauto had been injured and wasn’t fully fit, Denman won the race. In 2009, Denman had, had a lacklustre return to racing after a major heart operation the previous autumn but amazingly finished a gallant second to Kauto who regained the Gold Cup and in 2010, Kauto had a horrendous fall and Denman was beaten by Cheltenham specialist, Imperial Commander. We all wanted one of them to do it again this year, (apart from Long Run’s connections, of course!) but their efforts in defeat were so heroic, it didn’t matter that they were beaten by much younger legs because they owed nobody anything anyway.

The ovations they received when returning to the Winners’ Enclosure were so phenomenal it was unbelievable. They were clapped all the way in, when they were being unsaddled, and then when they left to go back to the stables.

Both horses have had such long and illustrious careers winning 32 races in Britain and Ireland collectively. They’ve been amazing horses but they couldn’t have been as amazing without some very important people. Paul Nicholls, it goes without saying really, the man who has trained both horses throughout their time in England. However, he would never take all the credit himself. Donna Blake and Clifford Baker have both ridden out the pair during their time at Ditcheat. Lucinda Gould and Nick Child who are their current grooms. Dan Skelton who is always down at the start whenever Denman is running to make sure he sets off and has a major role in the training for all the horses down at Ditcheat. Ruby Walsh, Sam Thomas, Christian Williams, AP McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and the few other jockeys who have been lucky enough to ride them and for most of the mentioned jockeys, win on them. And all the other people who have rode the two horses out and looked after them. They’re all very lucky people who deserve 100% of the credit they are given.

I feel so lucky to have been alive in an era where we have had two amazing racehorses like Kauto Star and Denman. Of course, we have had others such as Best Mate, Hedgehunter, Big Buck’s, Master Minded, etc but none of them will ever be as good – to me – as those two have been. When my Grandparents sit and tell me stories about Arkle, Rummy and Dessie, I always think to myself, it won’t be those horses I’ll be telling my children and grandchildren about, it will be Kauto Star and Denman, for they are horses of a lifetime. 

alright there, Huddersfield? ;)

IJF.

With there being several jockeys on the sidelines through injury at the minute it seems a fitting time, more so than ever, to donate to the Injured Jockeys Fund. The charity does so much for the injured jockeys and helps get them back in the saddle asap. http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/injured-jockeys-fund-donation.asp - please donate. It doesn't matter if you only donate a pound, it all adds up! 

And lets hope all those injured jockeys make full recoveries and are back in the saddle in the near future. :-)

Frankel!

He's still unbeaten. He looked a tad apprehensive in the parade ring this afternoon and sweated a little between his hind legs. But he won by 4 lengths, it wasn't overly impressive by his standards though. TPQ admitted that he didn't want to give him a hard race with the Guineas only a couple of weeks away. He'll definitely improve from the run as I highly doubt he was 100% fit today. He makes me want to love flat racing! 

Nathan Brown's comments. Out of order?

Twitter is full of opinions on the comments that Nathan Brown made last night,

"It was disgraceful, horrible. Luke O'Donnell has run in but hasn't thrown a punch after Kevin Brown had been hit late, off the ball. Then Bailey picks him up and punches him.

"Luke O'Donnell should have run in and knocked him out cold. And he shouldn't have been sent off either because the officials are the ones that let that get out of control.

"If one of my players did that I'd expect him to be sent off and I would expect one of the Leeds boys to get stuck into my player immediately."

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, however, your opinion would only be valid if you had actually been there and seen the fight for yourself. Forming an opinion from a match report and a recording of the coaches comments probably isn't the best of ideas! 

I understand why Nathan said what he did. He was angry, as was I, and so would you be if the thug, Ryan Bailey, had done exactly the same to your team. No one likes it. Nathan is probably right in the fact that O'Donnell could have gone straight him and knocked him out cold, but he didn't. Luke has settled down and he isn't as "nasty" as he was, therefore he didn't barge straight in and hit him like Browny suggested he should have. Bailey is the worst player in RL fighting-wise (not fact, opinion) and he fully deserved to be sent off as I am sure most Leeds fans would agree, also. You don't go around causing fights at 20-0 down. Leeds are in a bad patch at the minute and going around picking fights with every player is not going to help their cause.