Tuimavave: We’ve got that belief and confidence about us
HULL STAR LOOKS FORWARD TO CUP TEST AGAINST CAS
To say Carlos Tuimavave is grateful to be back playing for Hull FC week in and week out would be an understatement. The club captain is now seven games into his return from a ruptured Achilles tendon and is starting to hit his straps.
After a 10-month rehab process, Tuimavave has two tries, but he’s also beginning to get more involved in games, doing the hard yards and getting to grips with the defensive systems.
In many respects, Tuimavave and Hull have been in sync, getting better and better by the week, with the catalyst for their latest three wins being their defence.
“It’s pretty cliched, but defence wins games, and that’s been a key focus for us in recent weeks,” Tuimavave explained. “It’s definitely showing. We’ve won three games on the bounce, and it’s definitely come down to our defence.
“We’ve got that belief and that confidence about us. It always helps when you’re winning and coming to work with a smile on your face, but it’s definitely been more enjoyable. When you’re losing, no one really enjoys turning up to training.
“In saying that, credit to the boys, we lost seven in a row there, and everybody kept turning up with the right attitude, and we got stuck in. No one kicked stones or sulked, and we’ve come out the other side now. Hopefully, we can just keep building from here.”
For Tuimavave individually, there’s been progress, but the centre, now 31, still wants to kick on. Admitting he’s only at about 70% of what he’s capable of, there’s more yet to come.
“I’m match-fit now, but I feel like I’m still to hit my straps,” Tuimavave continued. “I’m getting more involved in games on the ball, and last week, I think my defence was also the best it’s been throughout the whole season, just buying into systems and getting used to them and the players around me. I feel like I’m heading in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of improvement and things to work on.
“Building those combinations helps. I think our left edge has been superb in attack, and they are definitely leading the way. On the right edge, we’ve got Jake Trueman back now, so we can start getting a bit of ball out to our right side and build.
“Truey has had a long time out, but we know what he can do, and he’ll hit his straps soon. Cam too. He’s a great young kid. He’s always willing to listen and learn. Sometimes you don’t get that from people these days, but Cam’s been great. He’s not a natural winger, but over the last couple of weeks, he’s done a great job. Hopefully, we can start scoring some more points soon.”
Heading to Castleford tomorrow for Challenge Cup action, Super League gets put to one side for a competition that holds a special connection for all associated with Hull FC. Tuimavave, meanwhile, is expecting a tough encounter.
“It’s a tough place to go,” Tuimavave said. “A lot of teams go there and get turned over. We’ve lost a few games there. We know what to expect; it’s going to be a tough match, and with the fans on top of you as well, it just adds to it. We’ve got to prepare mentally and physically and do the job.
“It’s a different mindset and different pressures, definitely, being a knockout competition. Form goes out the window, but in preparing for it, sometimes you’ve just got to push those things to the side and just focus on your job. The more you think about it, the more it comes into your head, so just staying calm and focused definitely helps.”
And as for those Wembley finals, they may have been six and seven years ago, but the memories never fade.
“They were great; 2016 was my first year here in England, and to win the Challenge
Cup and go one game short of the Grand
Final, it was almost the dream season,” Tuimavave added. “Playing at Wembley, I had my family there too from New Zealand, so that made it even more special.
“That feels so long ago now. Hopefully, we can get this club back to where we were in those years and be the top four club that we should be.”
TONY Smith has shared his thoughts on Scott Taylor’s one-match ban.
The Hull FC prop was suspended after a ‘dangerous contact’ charge by the RFL’S Match Review Panel and will miss tomorrow’s Challenge Cup tie at Castleford Tigers.
Taylor got the Sky Man of the Match award after a superb showing at Wakefield.
The 32-year-old scored the final try after putting himself about in two dominant stints.
Smith commented on his display as well as offering his take on the ban and, in particular, the terminology of the charge sheet.
“He was good last week,” Smith explained. “It’s a blow, I’m not going to lie, he’s in good form at the moment and working really hard for us.
“He’s a big man, and he’s a handful, particularly close to the opposition’s try line. That’s shown on various occasions this year, and he keeps reminding me.
“I don’t think he did anything intentional by any means. I think it was more a circumstance, but it’s the rules of our game now.”
Taylor’s sheet read: “Dangerous Contact: Defender uses any part of their body forcefully to twist, bend, or otherwise apply pressure to the limb or limbs of an opposing player in a way that involves an unacceptable risk of injury to that player.”
Smith, meanwhile, disagrees with that interpretation, labelling Taylor’s contact as purely accidental.
“Sometimes when our big men land in certain ways, it’s deemed as dangerous,” Smith continued.
“Whether they intend to or whether it’s just accidental, I don’t think there’s much difference or consideration for those things.
“It’s more a case of, well, he’s in this position, and we treat it this way. We didn’t see fit to challenge that; maybe the wording of it, but that’s about it.”
With Taylor missing for the Cup game, Smith can call upon Brad Fash and Joe Cator in the middle of the field. Both players are available after sitting out the Wakefield win.
“There are no other concerns at this stage, touch wood,” Smith added.
“Nothing has occurred this week or from the last game that we didn’t know about. We’re all good at this stage, and hopefully we can keep them fit and healthy for a Challenge Cup game that we’re really excited about.
“It’s going to be a tough one on their patch, they’re a good team, and they play their pitch very well. It’s always a challenge going there. We’ll give them healthy respect.”