Boafo: We will give it a real Bash
NEWCASTLE Thunder winger Gideon Boafo is hoping a first appearance in the Betfred Championship’s Summer Bash yields a win this weekend as his side takes on York City Knights at Headingley Stadium tomorrow (6.15).
The equivalent of the Super League Magic Weekend, Summer Bash will see a full round of fixtures played at the home of Leeds Rhinos and pits Thunder against the Knights for a third time this season.
While the Knights have won both prior fixtures in 2022, Boafo maintains Thunder are a different proposition to the side which took to the field at the LNER Community Stadium in the spring.
He said: “We have gelled more as a team now and I think we know more about what to expect.
“We know we have to start fast and start strong otherwise teams like York are going to come out firing.
“We have been working hard in training to make sure we will perform for the full 80 minutes.”
That was something which was missing in Thunder’s most recent game as they laboured to a 24-24 draw over second-bottom Dewsbury Rams last weekend, Boafo saying that performance means Newcastle owe a performance to their fans.
Having won both of their televised matches so far this season, that is something the 23-year-old says they can deliver again in front of the Premier Sports cameras.
He added: “We definitely let ourselves down last week. We had a good week in training building up to the game but we just were not switched on in the first half and made too many errors.
“That is something we are looking to bounce back from and react to at the weekend so we can put a good performance for the fans, to whom I think we owe a lot.
“When the cameras are on we seem to play well so I think I am going to back us!
“We know we have to put on a good performance and I am looking forward to being back in front of the cameras again.”
With Summer Bash back for the first time since 2019, this year’s edition provides Boafo with his first chance to experience playing in a marquee rugby league event.
Having watched previous instalments as a youngster coming through the London Broncos system, he is looking forward to being part of an event which he says plays a key role in growing the sport.
Boafo went on: “It is he first time I have played in it and I am pretty excited to be involved.
“I have grown up watching it and it is always something I have wanted to be involved with.
“Events like this are a big thing for rugby.
“Magic Weekend draws a lot of fans to rugby and Summer Bash can have the same sort of effect for the Championship and be something everyone talks about, so I think it can be a good thing for the sport.”