Donald injury setback hits Leeds' hopes
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Your support makes all the difference.Leeds winger Scott Donald is losing his battle to be fit for the World Club Challenge against Melbourne on Sunday.
Donald, who scored their only try when the Rhinos beat the Storm two years ago, jarred his shoulder in the victory over Salford last weekend. "He is not progressing as well as we would like, although we will give him another couple of days," admitted the Leeds coach, Brian McClennan.
McClennan is likely to use the 18-year-old Kallum Watkins as his replacement. "He is a player we are very excited about and we are full of confidence in his abilities," he said. The better news for McClennan is that the Australian centre Brett Delaney is likely to be fit after recovering from a leg injury.
The Australian champions are likely to move their hooker and captain, Cameron Smith, to stand-off to compensate for the absence of the injured Cooper Cronk. That should still leave room on the bench for the Halifax-born Gareth Widdop, who has become a versatile back on the verge of an NRL breakthrough since emigrating four years ago. Widdop will shortly have dual nationality, but is delaying a decision on whether to try to play for England or Australia. He is, however, keen to play in Super League at some stage.
Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington denies that pre-season cost-cutting is responsible for the Rhinos' poor form so far this year. They went into camp in Cumbria, instead of Florida, in order to save money. "The players have said that they are miles ahead of where they have been in previous years, so that isn't the reason," he said.
Crusaders have been fined £5,000 by the UK Borders Agency for previous irregularities in their Australian players' visas. Six players were deported last season and the Welsh club could have been fined £10,000 for each of them.
Wakefield's Ireland winger, Damien Blanch, will play his first game of the season at St Helens tomorrow after recovering from a broken hand.
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