Sun, 20 July 2008
Bradford Bulls V Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Bradford Bulls: Michael Platt, Semi Tadulala, Paul Sykes, James Evans, Ben Jeffries, Paul Deacon, Joe Vagana, Iestyn Harris, Andy Lynch, Chris Nero, David Solomona, Simon Finnigan, Jamie Langley
Subs: Matt Cook, Sam Burgess, Terry Newton, Craig Kopczak
Tries: Ben Jeffries, Paul Deacon, Iestyn Harris, Terry Newton
Goals: Paul Deacon(4)
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Reilly, Blanch, Demetriou, Gleeson, Petersen, Rooney, Drew, Wilkes, Obst, Moore, Golden, Ferres, Sculthorpe.
Subs: MacGillivray, Henderson, Bibey, Ferguson.
Tries: Blanch (2)
Goals: Drew (1 from 3)
REPORT
Sam Burgess’ first-half sinbinning ultimately counted for little as Bradford Bulls overturned an interval deficit to send engage Super League play-off rivals Wakefield Wildcats into their Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final on the back of a 24-10 defeat.
The 19-year-old Bulls and England forward, who is nursing a shoulder injury which could yet require reconstructive surgery that could rule him out of the World Cup this autumn, became involved in a melee involving several players in the 32nd minute.
The incident was in keeping with a chaotic first half which saw Wakefield establish a 6-0 lead through Damien Blanch’s second-minute try and a penalty from Brad Drew.
But the Wildcats surrendered meekly after the break, allowing Bradford to hit back with four tries through Paul Deacon, Terry Newton, Ben Jeffries and Iestyn Harris.
It was the worst possible way for John Kear’s men to prepare for next Sunday’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Wakefield rested their talismanic scrum-half Danny Brough ahead of their date in Doncaster but Drew initially dovetailed well alongside Jamie Rooney at half-back in the first half.
Indeed, the visitors led inside the second minute when Danny Sculthorpe sent a teasing grubber kick into the right-hand corner and Blanch reacted quickest to race forward and ground the ball.
Drew failed to convert the score but Wakefield began to build up a head of steam as the half progressed.
That the Bulls failed to create any genuine try-scoring opportunities said everything about their first-half malaise.
And after Drew’s penalty put Wakefield further ahead, Burgess found himself in the sinbin after getting involved in a scrap initially sparked by Matt Petersen squaring up to Newton in the 32nd minute.
However, with Burgess back on shortly after the restart, Bradford rediscovered their fire and in the 49th minute a piece of delightful footwork allowed Deacon to weave his way over the line from close range.
Three minutes later Newton burrowed his way over from acting half and on the hour mark former Wakefield stand-off Jeffries scampered clear for Bradford’s third.
Deacon converted all three to send his side 18-6 ahead and although Wakefield hit back soon after for an unconverted try from Blanch in the right corner, a delicate offload from prop Joe Vagana ushered Harris over from 10 metres out.
Deacon once again added the extras to seal an ultimately handsome victory and encourage hopes of securing a coveted play-off berth – possibly at faltering Wakefield’s expense.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Sam Burgess' first-half sinbinning ultimately counted for little as Bradford turned moved through the gears after the restart.
The 19-year-old Bulls and England forward, who is nursing a shoulder injury which could require reconstructive surgery that would rule him out of the World Cup this autumn, became needlessly involved in a melee involving several players in the 32nd minute.
The incident was in keeping with a chaotic but low-quality first half and Bulls coach Steve McNamara admitted the teenage prodigy could miss the World Cup.
He said: "He has got an injury that will require an operation and it's unlikely that he will feature at the World Cup."
"I would hate for the kid to miss the World Cup because he's desperate to go there but he possibly won't continue playing for that long and we have to think of his long-term future as well."
"The second scan proved there was no bone damage in there, which enabled him to play today."
"Even if he reinjured it today it wouldn't have caused any more damage to the actually injury.
"We will get him fixed up when required, and we've got a decision to make as to when we get him in for the operation."
"He's part of our long-term future and that's something we need to consider as well."
"If we can get him through to the end of the season and the length of the operation will enable him to recover in time to have a good pre-season for 2009 then we will do that."
"If the specialist tells us that it's a longer recovery period then we'll get him in earlier."
Wakefield coach John Kear admitted he must rally his faltering side ahead of their Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium next Sunday if they are to progress to Wembley.
Shock triumphs with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and Hull in 2005 established Kear's reputation for knockout successes and have encouraged hopes of him becoming the first man to coach three different clubs to Challenge Cup glory.
However, when asked how his side's form will affect them ahead of their date in Doncaster, the Wakefield coach said: "All will be revealed next Sunday."
"We will prepare in a very positive manner and try to be buoyant and upbeat."
"It's a little difficult at the minute of course because we've just copped our fourth successive loss.
"We've got to quickly turn it around so that we give a quality performance at Doncaster next week.
"Hull will be buoyant after beating us last week and then beating Hull KR, but it's my job to turn things round."
Wakefield established a 6-0 lead through Damien Blanch's second-minute touchdown and a penalty from Brad Drew, but they were simply overpowered after the break as Bradford claimed four tries through Paul Deacon, Terry Newton, Ben Jeffries and Iestyn Harris to render Blanch's second try in the closing stages meaningless.
And yet Kear - who rested talismanic scrum-half Danny Brough because of a calf strain - refused to be too downbeat about his side's latest loss.
He said: "That was a much better performance than the previous two and there are steps forward that we've taken today."