Derby double tops bill in an Easter feast

LEEDS and Castleford raised the bar for Super League last Friday – and I think Easter will see it go up another notch.

As a player, when you watch a game like Leeds-Cas (Tigers’ Mike McMeeken tackling Joel Moon of the Rhinos, above) it makes you want to get your own house in order to beat the top teams.

You look down the list of fixtures and there are some really big matches over the next five days. It kicks off with a derby between Wakefield and Castleford tonight.

Cas will want to prove they are going to be a consistent force again this season, while Wakefield’s wins have all come against the bottom four so they will be keen to show they can also beat the top teams.

Throw in the local rivalry and that should be a fantastic match.

Tomorrow we have got St Helens against Wigan – and that could be the game of the year so far.

Bitter rivals in first and second places, who will feel that they under-performed last year in not reaching the Grand Final.

Both will see themselves as potential title winners this season,

and there are great match-ups all across the park – I’m expecting an absolute classic.

Then the fiercest clash in rugby league is back, the cross-town derby between Hull KR and Hull FC.

There’s real excitement in the city and at Hull KR we’ve already sold 11,000 tickets, which should see our record smashed tomorrow.

We go in as big underdogs, having just been promoted, but you normally expect players to rise to the challenge in a big derby. The other game that interests me now is Huddersfield against Leeds with what has happened at the Giants with Rick Stone being relieved of his job.

There is talk about player unrest over the coaching style there and if that is the case then tomorrow is the time that those players need to stand up.

I’d really like to see Chris Thorman (above) get the job permanently there – he is an excellent young English coach.

Easter is always a crucial stage of the season in Super League just because of the fact you can earn six points in eight days.

That can prove pivotal for any team, especially in a league as tight as it is this year.