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‘Train for an hour and then go to the pub’ – Wests Warriors chief details Leeds Rhinos preparations

Challenge Cup trophy Leeds Rhinos

Challenge Cup minnows Wests Warriors aren’t worried about player safety ahead of Saturday’s tie at Leeds Rhinos.

The Southern Conference club reckon it might even be safer to play full-time professionals than the amateur teams they usually come up against.

The competition format has been revamped this year to give lower division teams a greater chance of facing top-flight opposition, but three amateur clubs being drawn against Super League sides has raised questions over their players’ welfare.

Warriors’ coach Kimbo Parkinson admitted that is something he was concerned about initially, but he has discussed it with his squad and they are keen to play.

“We are a little club from Acton and we are playing at one of the biggest stadiums in rugby league,” he said.

“We discussed the safety aspect with our players as soon as the game against the Army [in the previous round] was over.

“They actually think it is going to be safer playing against Super League opposition than amateurs because they have the right tackle technique. They are not going to be taking our heads off and stuff like that. In that regard, they’re not worried about it.”

There will a huge difference in physicality between the teams, but Parkinson stressed: “It’s just another body running at them.

“Obviously they are going to be a bit bigger, stronger and fitter, but they [Wests’ players] have got no concerns about it. I think they’ll use the adrenaline of the occasion to lift them a bit.

“I was a little bit concerned, but then the players assured me they want to be involved in this match.

“No one has said ‘I don’t want to be involved because we are playing a professional team’. We know, realistically, we aren’t going to win the game, but we want to be competitive and we want to do London rugby league proud.”

Wests won 66-4 at Southern Conference League rivals Eastern Rhinos in their opening tie before a 36-18 home win against the Army two weeks ago set up the clash with Leeds

Since Saturday’s task was confirmed they have had a taste of how tough the game will be.

Parkinson said: “We played against London Broncos at Roslyn Park behind closed doors and that showed us the intensity and step up in pace.”

Wests have previous Challenge Cup experience against professional opposition, having been beaten 80-4 at Championship side Widnes Vikings two years ago.

With their league campaign not beginning until April, the Warriors are still in pre-season, but Parkinson insisted it is business as usual this week.

“We aren’t going to change anything,” he said of how his team will prepare. “We’re going to train for one hour on Wednesday and then go to the pub for a beer!

“That’s no disrespect to Leeds, but the boys don’t want to change anything, we’ll just keep it as it is.”

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