ACE OF MASE
Lino’s derby Wake-up call
MASON LINO grew up dreaming of becoming an All Black – now he is focused on ending a six-year West Yorkshire derby drought.
The Wakefield playmaker idolised rugby union stars Andrew Mehrtens and Carlos Spencer as a youngster in New Zealand, having moved from Samoa before starting school.
It was Kiwi rugby league legend Stacey Jones who helped change his sporting path, which this year has led him to the north of England.
Lino explained: “I started playing league pretty late at about 16.
“I grew up wanting to be an All Black – it was always Andrew Mehrtens and Carlos Spencer.
“But then I started to watch a bit of league and I remember seeing Stacey Jones scoring for New Zealand Warriors in the Grand Final against the Roosters.
“Eventually a mate talked me into going to a league training session.”
Less than a year later Lino had been signed into the Warriors development system, and after playing in the NRL there and later at Newcastle Knights, he signed a three-year contract with Wakefield.
His influence on Chris Chester’s improving side has grown and will need to again tonight as they face local rivals Castleford, who they have not beaten since February 2015.
Lino said: “It’s important we start fast against them. They’re a quality team with a very strong back field.
Hopefully the Wakefield fans will help to make it a hostile place to play.”
Coach Chester has never guided his hometown team to a win over the Tigers but isn’t dwelling on that.
“I’ve not really lost any sleep over it,” said Chester.
“You can get bogged down by those things. I want the players to focus on being the best version of themselves.” Chester – who welcomes back winger Tom Johnstone after concussion – sees halfback Lino, 27, as a key figure. He said: “I can’t speak highly enough of Mase – he had a real tough start here when we had our full-back, hooker and other recognised half out. “The first four or five weeks he was having to do everything. Now we’ve got that spine together he’s got support.”
TYSON FURY claims Anthony Joshua didn’t really want to fight him and says he isn’t bothered about losing a £75m payday against his fellow Brit.
‘The Gypsy King’ must defend his WBC heavyweight title against Deontay Wilder in a trilogy clash after the American won an arbitration case over their contracted rematch.
It scuppered a proposed August 14 date with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Joshua as the pair were ready to split a pot of over £100m in Saudi Arabia.
But Fury, 32, said: “It was too good for him that the fight didn’t happen – he didn’t want it anyway. He’s a s***house I don’t want to hear about him, let him fight his own people he has to deal with.
“No disappointment, there’s nothing. I’m fighting a top heavyweight, he’s still the most dangerous heavyweight in the world for me, it is what it is.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Joshua or Wilder or whoever it’s going to be. I only care about getting in there and doing my job.
“I don’t care about history. I don’t care about being remembered, I don’t care about the belts. I care about f*** all, except getting in and out of the ring in one piece.
“I don’t care about going down as a legend, I live for today. I don’t care about pound-forpound ratings, I don’t care about being remembered. I don’t care about being undisputed, I don’t care about winning belts.
“The only thing I care about is fighting. I made $70m last year and I would have made a lot more if I’d had more fights.
“But has it changed me, has it made any difference? Has it f***!
“I don’t care about the money. There was talk of me getting £75m-£100m for the Joshua fight.
“What’s it going to do for my life? Nothing.
“I wasn’t made to be a rock star, movie star or billionaire, I was made to be a fighting man.”
Fury, unbeaten in 31 fights, will now meet Wilder on July 24 at the T-mobile Arena
That fight was confirmed last night at a press conference in LA as the pair went face-to-face for the first time since the Brit battered the Bronze Bomber in February 2020.
Fury will be heavy favourite to repeat the feat in Sin City.
But he said: “No matter what the general fan thinks about Wilder and his excuses, I respect him as the biggest puncher in the history of the game.
“It’s one punch and it’s over. Don’t go to sleep on Deontay Wilder. Only an idiot would go to sleep on Deontay Wilder. And an idiot I am not.”
Fury has been in America since May preparing for a summer fight and is currently training in Las Vegas with his team.
He added: “I am being trained like a supreme athlete racehorse – the best of the best of the best.”