Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook ■ Louie’s Lip

Bleedin’ sand

We’ve done a lot of pre-season work on the sand at Formby, but it’s not my forte. I’m all for innovation and change, but if they ever come up with beach rugby league, count me out. It’s not the nicest where we go and the dunes are far too high. There’s also the strange idea that the coaching staff have that we should spend time in the sea. They call it refreshing, I have another word. What has been good was our camp in Chester. I checked first and it didn’t come under warm weather, but we worked on skills and bonding and were even allowed a lunch break on one of the days.

Pool ball wizard

Pool should definitely be an Olympic sport, especially if it meant a trip to Rio. I’d undoubtedly be in Team GB having finished the 2012 doubles campaign at Saints undefeated with my partner ‘Mini Gaff’. We killed it on the baize, although I’ve yet to see any sign of a trophy. Some reckon proficiency with a cue is the sign of a misspent youth. All I would counter with is that my old man owned a couple of pubs when I was growing up.

Congratulations

It was a wonderful end to the year with the news that Paul Sculthorpe had been awarded the MBE. He has been a terrific servant to the club and the game and still is doing wonders here at Langtree with the sponsors and in the community. He’s a genuinely great bloke. And it was good to hear of Kevvy Sinfield being voted the world’s best, not least because it so upset the Aussies and I’m all for that. It shows that we’ve got some damn fine players over here, however you calculate it.

Big year ahead

There are quite a few pointing to Saints as dark horses for 2013. We’ve certainly recruited well in Willie Manu, Jordan Turner and Alex Walmsley; they’ve all been showing really good signs in training. We’ll be there or thereabouts. The ethos of this club is very much in it to win it and we’re hoping to go a couple of paces better in each competition. As for me, I want to stay injury free and prove myself to the people here who took a big chance on me. If that leads to anything else, lovely. I’d also like to score more tries than Eorl Crabtree, who someone said got into double figures last year which, for a prop - if that’s what he is verges on the obscene. He’s so big and strong he shouldn’t even be allowed to play.

Rivals: Chris Tuson and LMS grapple in last April’s Saints-Wigan derby at Langtree Park SWPix.com

Happy nude year

LOUIE McCARTHY-SCARSBROOK likes darts but isn’t keen on the Mayans

Oh, those Mayans

Apparently, I was going to be saved the gruel of pre-season because the world was going to end. There are always numptys around. We sat around discussing what we might do with our final five minutes if it was indeed the case. Obviously, we all decided that it would be to ring our nearest and dearest and declare undying love, although robbing a bank for the sheer hell of it came a close second.

Calendar boys

There seems to be a growing market in players being photographed posing nearnaked for either club or testimonial calendars. It’s punishment enough for my missus seeing me running round the house in the buff. There would have to be a very good reason for me to disrobe, but show me a rugby player who likes wearing clothes and

I’ll show you a liar. Nudity seems to go with the territory. I

still hear the stories at Saints about Nick Fozzard, who rarely

NE W Y E A R ’ S R E S O L U T I O N S FO R R U G B Y L E A G U E I N 2 0 1 3

10. Treat international game with respect

9. Harmonise rules in both hemispheres 8. Watch the players, not referees 7. Attract sponsors who spend money 6. Aim to strike the right balance between ambition, vision and reality 5. Rejuvenate the Challenge Cup 4. Subscribe to Forty-20 (of course) 3. Recognise that not every pass is

FOOORRRWWAAARRRDDDDD 2. Get behind the 2013 World Cup 1. Enjoy the game. It’s supposed to be fun

John Dobson kept his kit on during training. It’s a queasy image I can only imagine, although I’m not sure if that included his padding.

I watch the Power!

Is darts a sport? Who cares, I love it. I watched the World Championship on Sky and the atmosphere looked amazing. I’d really like to go and be part of the crowd, hasn’t it been sexed up? I’m a bit of a Barney fan so watched his clash with Phil the Power, who is class, with interest. I couldn’t help but laugh at their ‘belly-off’ afterwards. I can only assume that the Dutch master was trying to grip the champ’s throwing hand. To me darts is ideal and fits all the criteria. Fancy being able to say ‘I’m just off out to practice, dear; I’m off down the pub. Genius.’

January 2013 Forty-20 23