Hull KR prop forward Sam Luckley insists fulfilling his “boyhood dream” of playing at St James’ Park will never get old as he prepares for his third Magic Weekend.
Super League’s showcase event returns to Newcastle with six fixtures taking place across Saturday and Sunday.
Luckley, who grew up in North Shields, has featured in two Magic Weekends previously for Salford and says playing at the home of his beloved Newcastle United is “mesmerising”.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” the 27-year-old told PA news agency. “I’ve played here twice before and it’s just mesmerising.
“I love coming and playing at this stadium. It’s a big do for all my friends and family as well, it’s a big build-up. I just try not to think about it too much, but I can’t wait to get on the pitch.
“When you come out for warm-up and stuff, the sprinklers are on… it feels like I should be wearing the number nine shirt!
“It’s brilliant, you can’t put it into words. It’s a boyhood dream.”
Hull KR face Luckley’s former club Salford in the 1330 kick-off on Saturday in what looks set to be a tight contest, with both teams locked on 16 points in the table.
Last time he played at St James’ Park, Luckley scored a try in front of the Gallowgate End – celebrating with an Alan Shearer-style raised hand – and would love the chance to do so again.
He said: “I thought if I do score, I’ve got to do it, in front of the Gallowgate as well… I don’t really get many tries so I’ve got to take it when it comes along.
“I’ll 100 per cent be doing it again… If I get through, if I get the chance, I will!”
He insists, though, that he would value a victory over personal glory.
“I haven’t won here yet,” he said. “We lost against Castleford when I was playing for Salford and we lost again to Huddersfield when I scored my try, so I’ll trade all the tries in for a win. We’ll have a big push for that on Saturday.”
The future of Magic Weekend is up in the air, with global sports media company IMG having been commissioned to “reimagine” rugby league in its role as the sport’s long-term strategic partner, but Luckley feels it is a “great spectacle” and “can’t be anything but good”.
“It’s great for the sport,” he said. “Just look at the NRL, they’ve got a Magic Round as well and they’re loving it.
“It’s a great spectacle for our sport and getting people who don’t watch rugby into rugby league over a weekend like this in a big football stadium in a big city… It can’t be anything but good.
“It doesn’t just have to be Newcastle, it could be anywhere. I think, being a bit biased, St James’ Park is a great spot, the pubs are down the road, shops down the road…
“I’d be more than happy to go somewhere else to try it out but I think you’ve got to get the location right.”
Pep Guardiola jokes he could play for much-changed Man City in Newcastle cup tie
Pep Guardiola has joked he may come out of retirement for Manchester City’s Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle.
The treble winners are three games into a run of seven matches in three weeks and manager Guardiola intends to make changes for Wednesday’s third-round tie at St James’ Park.
However, with injuries affecting the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva, the options for rotation among his main first-team squad are actually limited.
That has prompted the former Barcelona midfielder to jest that at 52, 17 years after calling time on a distinguished playing career – and notwithstanding his recent back surgery – he could lace up his boots once again.
He said: “Some players who’ve had a lot of minutes are not going to play against Newcastle.
“The Carabao Cup is great for all the guys who don’t play regularly. They can play some minutes and that’s perfect.
“But for the other players I’m not going to waste one per cent of energy for Carabao Cup. The likes of Kyle (Walker), Ruben (Dias) – playing 90 minutes for us, 90 for the national team, they are exhausted already.
“That’s why we are going to play with the guys who need it, the Academy, maybe me. My back is getting better so I might manage a few minutes!”
One decision taken out of Guardiola’s hands is the availability of Rodri after his sending off against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Spain midfielder picked up an automatic three-game ban for violent conduct for raising his hands to the neck of Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White in City’s 2-0 Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium.
It is unlikely Rodri would have been involved at Newcastle but his absence against Wolves next weekend, and particularly Arsenal on October 8, could prove costly.
Guardiola was rather more serious when expressing his anger over the conduct of his key holding midfielder on Saturday.
It seems unlikely the club will appeal against his suspension.
Guardiola said: “I have to talk with the club but I’m not going to change it. For me it’s not three games, but the rules are the rules. Part of that, he has to learn, and hopefully it won’t happen again.”
Rodri’s absence could offer a chance for England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who has found opportunities limited since his arrival from Leeds in the summer of 2022.
He played the final 39 minutes against Forest as City reshaped with 10 men.
Guardiola said: “He played really well, the type of game that we needed. I’m so pleased for him because he’s an incredible guy.
“He’s not fazed about his minutes and he’s a national player with England. With us he hasn’t played much but he’s really helped us.”
Eddie Howe backs Newcastle to keep improving after Milan stalemate
Eddie Howe is confident there is more to come from Newcastle after they took a point from their Champions League baptism of fire in Milan.
The Magpies found themselves under the cosh at the San Siro on Tuesday evening as they opened their Group F campaign with a tough trip to AC Milan and ultimately emerged with a creditable 0-0 draw.
Howe’s team will have to be significantly more progressive than they were in Italy if they are to bank the points they will need to progress, with Paris St Germain and Borussia Dortmund waiting in the wings, but the 45-year-old believes they will be.
Asked after the game if the overriding emotion in the dressing room on the final whistle had been exhaustion, disappointment or pride, he said: “It was a mixture of all of those things, definitely pride in the result and the performance, the mentality shown.
“Not internally in the squad, the result wasn’t overestimated. They are very honest payers and they acknowledge we can perform better. Yes, a bit of fatigue as well, but we’re now looking forward to our next match.
“For us to stand up strong and come back fighting in that second half – because I thought that was a good second half display from us – bodes well for the future. All we can try and do is try and win every game.”
But for goalkeeper Nick Pope and a glaring miss from Milan’s Portugal star Rafael Leao, Newcastle could have been in deep trouble by half-time, although having got there on level terms they produced a fine defensive display after the break to plug the gaps through which the Rossoneri had poured during the opening 45 minutes.
Indeed, they might even have picked the Serie A club’s pocket in stoppage-time when Sean Longstaff forced a fingertip save from substitute goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.
Howe said: “There were a few things we changed at half-time. We were looking to tweak a few things.
“The mindset was the most important thing. The blocking of the shots, recovery sprints when we are caught out of position was all out of the top drawer, especially when it needed to be in that second half.
“We had our moments in transitions going the other way and that’s where the quality was missing, and I’m a little bit frustrated with that. As I say, we will look to improve.”
Howe will now turn his attention to Sunday’s Premier League trip to Sheffield United, with opposite number Stefano Pioli, whose side lost 5-1 to derby rivals Inter last weekend, also able to take positives from a display which promised much but did not deliver the outcome he craved.
Pioli, who also lost goalkeeper Mike Maignan and midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek to injury, said: “I liked the performance, I liked the attitude. We attacked very well, we defended well, we showed that we were full of energy through the whole 90 minutes.
“We were as intense as they were – actually, we were more intense than they were – but we couldn’t win, and that’s a pity.
“Now we have to move on. There are very important games in Serie A and then we will have to play against Borussia Dortmund.”
Wakefield head coach Mark Applegarth accepted responsibility for his side’s relegation from the Betfred Super League after their dramatic 20-19 golden point defeat at Leigh.
Applegarth said he was “hurt” by his side’s failure to extend their unlikely survival battle into the final week of the season but said they would face up to the prospect of Championship rugby next year.
He said: “I’m hurt, it stings, and as head coach the responsibility is on my shoulders.
“It sunk in as soon as I saw that drop goal go over. All I can do is apologise to our fans but I can tell them that we will be back.
“I’d like to think most of the fans can’t question any of the lads’ efforts. Skill, execution and composure is probably what has let us down, but definitely not effort.”
Wakefield’s survival bid looked bleak after Tom Briscoe opened the scoring for Leigh with just four minutes on the clock but two opportunist tries from Lee Kershaw early in the second half pulled them back on level terms.
Gareth O’Brien’s late drop goal looked to have won it for Leigh before Luke Gale kicked Wakefield into the extra period with just 19 seconds left on the clock – only for O’Brien to convert the decisive effort of a frantic extra period.
Applegarth was left to reflect on a season in which a stirring recovery could not hide the fact that 14 straight defeats at the start of the season proved too much to overcome.
“Ultimately the league table doesn’t lie and we weren’t good enough,” added Applegarth.
“We’ve got some tough decisions to make and we’ve got some improvements to make. We’ve got to be honest with each other and look at why this has happened.
“My job is to make sure we bounce straight back up. They (Leigh) flirted with it over the last few years and they’ve nailed it, so there’s a blueprint to follow right there.
“Mark my words, we will be back in Super League, and hopefully at the first time of asking.”
Leigh head coach Adrian Lam admitted his side were far from their best but praised their accomplishment at sealing a top six place with one week of the regular season still to go.
“I think we just looked a bit less tired after last week,” admitted Lam.
“There was a lot of stop-start to the game that kept them in it, and they got two tries against the run of play from dropped balls, so I was a bit nervous towards the end.
“But we just find a way to win this year in those situations, which has been so impressive with this bunch of boys and so many players out.
“I think some other clubs may have rolled over tonight but they just got bigger and stronger as the game went on.
“We’ve now got to try to build some confidence and belief off the back of that, and make sure we take it on.”
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