TIGERS STAR IS READY TO PEAK

Forget Sonny Bill Williams, Holmes has sights on Three Peaks challenge

CASTLEFORD TIGERS’ Oli Holmes is not daunted in the slightest by facing Sonny Bill Williams – he is more concerned about the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

The England second-row could directly line up against the New Zealand superstar who is set to make his Toronto Wolfpack debut in the Super League opener against Castleford at Emerald Headingley on February 2.

Before that, and as part of their pre-season plans, Tigers are embarking on the Three Peaks challenge in a bid to raise £10,000 for the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract.

Starting and ending in Hortonin-Ribblesdale, players and staff will head off on the 25-mile route to tackle the county’s three highest peaks – Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough – within 12 hours on Saturday November 30.

As they prepare for that, Holmes

conceded he is looking forward to the challenge of facing dual-code star Williams whose £5.3m two-year deal makes him the highest paid player in the history of either code.

“I think it’s massive for the sport and especially in England that Toronto managed to sign him up and bring him to Super League,” said the 27 year-old.

“Their first game is against us so and it’s their first game in Super League in a double-header at

Headingley so fair play to the organisers for getting that set up.

“Hopefully he’s in that game and we can test ourselves but he’ll already know how tough it is.”

However, asked if 34-year-old former All Blacks centre Williams – who generally plays second-row in league – is someone he has looked up to, Holmes responded: “Not particularly.

“He’s been a great player over the years and he’s been there and done it all, winning a couple of

NRL titles and couple of World Cups in union. But he’s a Kiwi for starters – and I don’t look up to any of them!

“I don’t think he’s head and shoulders above the rest. He is high profile and it’ll be interesting to see how he goes.”

Williams is known for his offloads and big hits but Holmes is renowned for being one of Super League’s best tacklers so it should be a fascinating tussle.

On the Three Peaks, he added: “The coaching staff looked at something to do with us in preseason. Last year we went up to Cumbria for two days to work on Rob Purdham’s farm.

“But this has a bit more meaning as it will allow us to raise money for a great cause, too. It’ll be a good, tough challenge and something I’ve never done before.

“I did Pen-y-ghent in 2014 and remember that being quite difficult that time of year and we’re adding the other two peaks now.”