Controversial former NRL star Israel Folau has abandoned an opposed session against defending premiers the Sydney Roosters
Controversial former NRL star Israel Folau has abandoned an opposed session against defending premiers the Sydney Roosters. Folau was due to line up for his new Super League club, Catalans Dragons, at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium but coach Steve McNamara confirmed he didn’t travel with the team.
“He feels like a bus has hit him,” McNamara said, referring to Folau’s first match in more than a year when he debuted for Catalans against Castleford last weekend. The Roosters had organised the opposed session ahead of their World Club Challenge match against St Helens on Sunday morning .Meanwhile, Roosters coach Trent Robinson will plug the gap left by the departure of Latrell Mitchell with backrower Angus Crichton, who will be named at left centre for the match against St Helens. Crichton has been groomed to play in the outside backs following Mitchell's off-season switch to South Sydney. Robinson confirmed the switch after the Roosters' training session at Barcelona's famous Olympic Stadium on Monday.Getty Images He also revealed that captain Boyd Cordner would not play at Totally Wicked Stadium on Sunday morning because he wants to manage the NSW skipper's workload as the club attempts to win its third consecutive premiership. It means boom backrower Sitili Tupouniua will now partner Crichton on the left edge for a match Robinson and the rest of the Roosters organisation place great value on winning. "It's a hard pill to swallow," Cordner, 27, said about missing out on the World Club Challenge. "They're discussions that have been happening for a few years now … I missed the start of the pre-season last year; first with pneumonia and then a calf injury. I had one week of prep heading into the season. "That's been the case the last few years. I said to the club I want a proper pre-season, with a proper load, to give my body every chance to be right for the start of the season. "It's been a big few years, so I think it's the right call – even if I do miss a game like the World Club Challenge. We're looking at the bigger picture. The thing is I am fresh. It's the best I've felt in a long time."Whether Crichton starts at left centre or in the backrow remains to be seen. The club was set to play Billy Smith in the position following Mitchell's departure to Redfern, but he suffered a season-ending ACL injury. The club has been desperate to secure Josh Morris from the Sharks, although that is becoming increasingly unlikely because the Sutherland Shire team needs him to play full-back in the early rounds. Crichton, though, will be no liability at left centre, having played GPS rugby at centre while also showing towards the end of last year that he has the footwork and agility to play there.
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