Gale stays grounded for task ahead
MAN OF STEEL Luke Gale last night admitted he dare not dream about how it would feel to help England reach their first World Cup final in 22 years as it could scupper any hopes of success.
The Castleford Tigers scrumhalf was aged just seven the last time they featured in the showpiece, ultimately losing against Australia at Wembley in 1995.
However, if England can negotiate dangerous outsiders Tonga in tomorrow’s Auckland semi-final they will secure a final place once more and take a step closer to lifting the trophy for the first time.
“I’ll have just been kicking a ball around on the street with my mates back then,” said Leedsborn Gale, when asked what it would be like to be the first since the likes of Jason Robinson, Martin Offiah and Andy Farrell to claim a World Cup final spot.
“I think I’d just started actually playing for Middleton Marauders in a shirt five times too big for me.
“It’d be the highlight of my career so far to get to a World Cup final. But we’ve got a huge 80 minutes to perform in first and I can’t allow myself to dream that dream yet. I’ve got a big job to do on Saturday beforehand.”
Indeed, Gale does have a significant task ahead given his importance as the side’s primary kicker and orchestrator against an unbeaten Tonga side in their maiden World Cup semi-final, but packed with talent and set to be roared on by massive support in New Zealand.
England, of course, expected to face the Kiwis at this stage, but they were undone by second-tier nation Tonga in the pool stages and then stunned by Fiji in the quarter-finals.
England defeated Papua New Guinea in the last-eight, but, for all their impressive form in patches, they have yet to deliver a consistently commanding display.
It is easy to see why some England fans remain on edge – there were 20 handling errors against PNG – and Gale admitted: “We definitely need to get it right this week. We haven’t quite hit that 80-minute performance yet and we must do that now if we want to get to this final.
“PNG were a very physical side. We knew going into the game; they’re a good side that run it back at you with a fair bit of intent.
“It was a really tough game, but a good one. They came to play and we knew they would. It took a couple of days to get over it, with all the bruises, and we had some extra recovery.
“But we’re all sweet now and looking forward to the next test ,which we know will be bigger again. We’re in the semi-final of a World Cup; there will be more of the same in terms of physicality and they have some stars amongst them as well so we’re expecting a tough encounter.
“We have to be better this week, but I do feel like we’re getting there as well. It’s do-or-die now. It’s semi-final football and I’m sure the boys will be ready.
“It’s just about cutting the little errors out and completing a bit higher this week and that’s what the boys are looking at.”
England’s chances will be improved if, as expected, Warrington Wolves stand-off Kevin Brown passes his ‘head’ test after suffering concussion last week.
The ex-Huddersfield Giants captain has impressed alongside Gale in the last two games after initially missing out to Gareth Widdop.
Gale has certainly been able to keep a close watch on his rate of recovery – they have roomed together since flying into Auckland this week.
“It is a bit weird here, though,” explained the 29-year-old, who inspired Castleford to a maiden League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final this term.
“It’s a double room, but it has a sort of partition in so I’m talking to Browny, but I can’t actually see him.
“We watched England’s women’s rugby league game the other night before we went to bed and he is a good room-mate, good fun and it’s good as well as he’s my half-back partner so we can pick each other’s brain.”
On their evolving partnership, Gale added: “It started earlier this year in the Samoa game. I thought we played well then.
“He offers a lot of structure, his talk is really good and he kind of helps me out.
“We’ve got a good understanding and I’m pleased for him. Hopefully, we can continue that partnership on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Gale’s former Castleford half-back partner Rangi Chase has been banned for two years after testing positive for cocaine.
The 2011 Man of Steel, who featured in England’s last World Cup campaign four years ago, was playing for Widnes Vikings when initially suspended by his club in July.
UK Anti-Doping have revealed the 31-year-old will not be able to play again until July 14, 2019.
“His two-year ban serves as a stark warning to athletes about the very real consequences of taking recreational drugs whilst competing in sport,” said UKAD chief executive Nicole Sapstead.
It took a couple of days to get over it, with all the bruises. Luke Gale, on the tough physical battle waged against England by Papua New Guinea.
MATT FITZPATRICK believes he is right on track to erase his Dubai disappointment after an opening 66 in the UBS Hong Kong Open.
Yorkshireman Fitzpatrick led by a shot at halfway in the defence of his DP World Tour Championship title last week, but struggled to a third round of 72 and eventually finished 12th.
That was still the 23-year-old from Sheffield’s seventh straight top-15 finish since he won the Omega European Masters and a round containing six birdies and two bogeys at Fanling left him a shot behind leader SSP Chawrasia.
“It’s a good start to the week,” said Fitzpatrick, who was yesrerday named in Europe’s EurAsia Cup team. “It’s not an easy course and listening to Justin Rose talking after the pro-am, he said four rounds of four under would be a good score. I’d definitely take that right now and see where you end up.
“I hit it great tee to green, think I had seven or eight chances inside 15 feet and on a day like (yesterday) when it’s so windy it was a good day.
“We had a bit of a crowd with us, which was great. People are going to be following Tommy (Fleetwood) seeing as he won the Race to Dubai last week. I played with Tommy in my first start as a pro so we have known each other for quite some time and it’s always good to play with him.”
Four days after being crowned European No 1 for the first time, Fleetwood shrugged off the effects of playing his fifth event in a row with a 68 matched by Race to Dubai rival Rose.
“Everything felt good,” said Fleetwood, who finished just 58,821 points ahead of Olympic champion Rose on the money list.
“It was nice out there, on such a tough day, to have quite a few chances and be stress-free for the most part.
“My putting felt really good and I had a few that burned the edge. It would have been nice for them to drop, but we’ve got another three days for them to drop.”
Rose, who won in Hong Kong in 2015, looked on course to finish ahead of Fleetwood until a bogey on the 18th, where he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
“It was an interesting round because I made five birdies, all of them from two feet,” Rose said. “I stuffed it in there five times, but didn’t really make putts of any distance.
“That was as tough as I have played this golf course. It was very tricky and at this time of day, the greens get a little tough to read.
“It was a shame to miss the par putt on the last, but other than that I am quite pleased with two under and a steady start.”
Masters champion Sergio Garcia also bogeyed the tricky 18th in a round of 69.