25 Jul 2007 - Vainikolo - no Bulls return
Sporting Life
Bradford Bulls coach Steve McNamara has revealed that his players helped make the decision not to recall Lesley Vainikolo for Saturday's Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens at Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium. And McNamara insists that, if the Bulls reach the Wembley final on August 25, there is more chance of him playing on the wing than the blockbusting winger. Vainikolo joined Gloucester at the start of this month after scoring the 149th try of his Bradford career in the Super League win at Leeds but, as part of the deal, the Super League club retained the option of bringing him back for the Cup. "We all love Lesley to bits and know that he would have been an addition to the squad but the right decision was made," McNamara told a news conference at Odsal. "We wanted the option available in case we decided to go that way but the players deserve a lot of respect, as do the rest of the staff, for coming up with the call they've made. "I think it's the right decision, regardless of the result on Saturday. "We've got to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Regardless of the importance of this game, the long-term future of Bradford Bulls is more important. "Obviously we all really desperately want to get the result this weekend but the players have been through thick and thin together this season. "I felt it was right and proper that the players had some part in making this decision. At the end of the day it is those blokes who are out there performing week in, week out. "They've been through a tremendously difficult season and they've held their hand up on every single occasion. "There is probably more chance of me playing (at Wembley) - if we can find some shorts big enough. We've got a squad that started pre-season together and we'll finish off with what we've got now." Bradford's decision was made easier by the form of Vainikolo's replacement, fellow countryman Tame Tupou, who has scored six tries in six appearances, including two in the quarter-final win over Huddersfield, although McNamara insisted that Tupou would not necessarily have been the player to lose his place. Meanwhile, 20-year-old England second rower Matt Cook could be handed a recall for Saturday's game despite being out for more than two months with a wrist injury. The dual-code schoolboy international has not played since the Cup fifth-round win over Wakefield in May after undergoing surgery but could get his chance with loose forward Jamie Langley being ruled out for the rest of the season with a similar wrist injury. "Matt Cook is available," said McNamara. "We've got some decisions to make and hopefully we'll make the right decision." |