Huddersfield on brink
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Your support makes all the difference.Huddersfield, after years of hanging on to their Super League place by their fingernails, reach the point of no return today.
If they fail to beat Wakefield at Belle Vue, it will be the end for a club which, for all its virtues off the field, has never competed effectively at this level. The Giants will continue to argue that their ground, their financial stability, their thriving community programme and their sound administration should earn them a reprieve – well, you would, wouldn't you? – but they will know in their hearts that the game is up.
Even Wakefield's failure to overturn their punishment for breaching last year's salary cap leaves them three points ahead. Better still, they play a demoralised Salford in their final game next week, so even a win this evening would probably not be enough to save Huddersfield.
The best that can be said for them is that they will parachute down into the Northern Ford Premiership – or National League One, as it might be by that time – playing some good attacking rugby and their coach, Tony Smith, keeps the same team.
"The statistics show that we outperformed Hull in all the key areas, so to come up with a loss shows that there were other factors involved," he said. "I'm keeping faith with the players. They're intelligent guys and they know what's at stake. The appeal result doesn't affect our approach."
Wakefield's chief executive, Tony Docherty, was philosophical about the failure of their appeal. "We always said that this has to be settled on the field of play and it will now be like a cup final," he said.
Today's other game is likely to be London Broncos' last at The Valley, with their future uncertain following the decisions of Virgin and Charlton Athletic that they cannot bankroll them.
London field an unchanged team against Halifax and their captain, Richie Barnett, has appealed for everyone in the capital who supports rugby league to turn out and show that they want the game to survive there.
There is a parting of the ways at Warrington tomorrow as well, with Tawera Nikau confirming that he is to join Cronulla next season and that this will be the New Zealander's last home game. Also in the team to face the league leaders, Bradford, and on their way out are Toa Kohe-Love, Alan Hunte, Danny Nutley and Martin Masella.
Second-placed Wigan are at Castleford, with Chris Chester standing by in case Matthew Johns fails a fitness test on his ankle.
Rugby league continues to thrive in some unlikely places. The Irish student team in the Europa Cup in Kazan played in front of a 16,000 crowd in Thursday's opening match against the home side representing the Russian republic of Tartastan. Ireland lost 38-10, but the Welsh captain, Mark Dando, who watched the game, said: "Rugby league is absolutely colossal out here. It's huge – we've got as many people here as for Premiership football games."
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