Ronnie provides food for thought
MAN OF STEEL Luke Gale will be writing exclusively for the Daily Star Sunday
Cup.
Here, speaking on behalf of Kingstone Press, the Official Cider of Rugby League, he gives us an insight into the England camp...
THERE is an exciting feel to the England camp because players are trying to stake their claims ahead of the quarter-finals next week.
We’ve got four lads coming in for their first game and they obviously all want to impress against France today.
Gaz Widdop is switching to full-back, where I think he will be awesome, so Kev Brown comes into the halves with me.
We worked well together when we played Samoa in the mid-season Test and I know his game really well having played against him for a lot of years.
Going at the line, Kev’s one of the best decision makers in the game and always finds the right pass. I played against him in training this week and he’s hard to defend.
As always, there have been a lot of laughs in the camp and, thanks to my Castleford team-mate Mike McMeeken, I’m the butt of a few.
He’s reminded everyone of how jumpy I am – to the point where Paul McShane and Grant Millington have spent the past year scaring me and filming it.
They put together a video of Macca jumping out at me from wheelie bins, vans, everywhere. They think it’s hilarious that I jump so much and get so scared so easily.
On one of the clips I even make myself jump even though I’ve already sussed that Macca is hiding.
I’ve also been getting a bit of stick off the lads because my girlfriend has been over for the week and they reckon they haven’t seen much of me for a few days.
She was only here for a week because she’s a teacher and is back in the normal world on Monday but it’s been CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Mark Percival brilliant that she got out here. A few of the lads have had their partners over for short spells and it really helps us because it’s a long tour.
As for France today, we need a better performance because it’s our last match ahead of the quarters.
Games against them are always feisty but we’ve prepared really well and we want a big game. NEW DIET: O’Sullivan RONNIE O’SULLIVAN insists his superb form is down to a new diet that helps him cope with a gruelling schedule.
The Rocket has blasted into today’s Champion of Champions Final having last month won the English Open with a sizzling display.
O’Sullivan, 41, is into a fourth straight final at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena and has lost just one of 15 matches at the venue.
The prestigious winners’ tournament is one of seven events almost back-to-back involving constant shuttling between China and Europe.
And O’Sullivan hopes the regime will prevent him suffering the same fate as bleary-eyed world
No.1 Mark Selby (below) in Coventry, who was almost falling asleep at the table. O’Sullivan, who made a
900th career century in his semifinal win over Anthony Hamilton, said: “I have lost a stone in the last few weeks.
“And I can finally get my trousers back on now despite not being able to run because of a bad ankle injury.
“For two years, I had to wear this right manky old pair of trousers which haven’t been comfortable but it was all I could get my legs into.
“And I think the good food I am eating is really helping me to relax and cope with the pressures of playing and the effects of all the travelling.
“I had to look at diet a lot more carefully as I have been picking up so many injuries I can’t put the running in I used to. I have been talking to nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert.
“The alternative is an operation and I don’t want that right now, it would mean six months without being able to get about, or play snooker, or do any of the other things.
“I can’t eat what I used to because I am not running like I used to. I am like a sponge and like to learn about new things.
“I feel more alert out there in the arena, I don’t drink tea and coffee like I used to, and I want every advantage I can get.
“I am nearly 42 now, and I need that help.”