Richie Myler
Richie Myler

Richie Myler hoping Leeds Rhinos can defeat Catalans Dragons


Richie Myler is delighted to see Catalans Dragons emerge from their early-season slump but would not mind if his old team-mates had an off day on Saturday.

The former England scrum-half has fond memories of the two years he spent in the south of France, where his youngest son was born and where he returns with Leeds for round 16 of Betfred Super League.

"I loved it there," Myler said. "Obviously the last year was a bit harum-scarum because we were in the Million-Pound Game.

"But everyone was so welcoming, my family loved it and it was such a great place to live.

"My youngest son was born there, so he's got a French birth certificate. The Pompiere, the fire brigade, pretty much delivered him and I was in England staying over so it was a quick fly-back for me.

"I've very fond memories of that place."

After their brush with relegation in 2017, the Dragons again found themselves in trouble at the wrong end of the table after losing nine of their first 11 matches but they have won two of their last three to ease the pressure on coach Steve McNamara.

"It was always going to take time," Myler said. "They had all those people at the World Cup and had a depleted pre-season, but they seem to be finding their straps a bit and they played well at Magic Weekend.

"They certainly add a lot to Super League. You only realise it when you live there. When you are around it, you see how passionate they are for rugby league.

"It would be a great shame if they weren't in Super League.

"But obviously they've turned it around now, just in time for us to play them.

"We're going through some stuff ourselves at the minute that we need to get right so it's going to be a tough challenge whoever we were playing."

Leeds are reeling from a 38-10 hammering by Castleford at St James' Park and skipper Kallum Watkins, Nathaniel Peteru and Jamie Jones-Buchanan have joined their lengthy injury list but Myler says the reigning champions will not look for excuses if they fail to come away from Perpignan with the points.

"That's sport, isn't it?," he said. "Every team has got injuries.

"Obviously we've got a lot of key players missing at the minute but the boys that come in have got to play well. There's no point moaning about it, it is what it is, they're the cards you are dealt."

After winning just one of their last five matches the Rhinos are in danger of losing touch with the top four but Myler insists there is no panic.

"There's still plenty of time for us to turn it around," Myler added.

"We've not been too far off in games I don't think.

"Obviously last weekend we got our backside kicked a little bit but a lot of games we've lost by one or two points."

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