Leons Grabbing More Balls, The Gnome Is Dreaming Big And Peacock Is Just Shy!

Feb 27, 2008 League Freak European Super League News 0

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We all love a good laugh at the Poms, and they seem to love giving us material.

Seriously, someone could put together a whole web site that does nothing but take the piss out of them….

Today we had three of the best.

First of all, good old Leon Pryce. When God was handing out brains, Leon obviously caught him at a bad time.

Last season Pryce received a three match ban for putting a Squirrel Grip on Bradford prop Sam Burgess in the Challenge Cup Semi Final.

For those of you that haven’t read the Official Rugby League Dictionary, The act of grabbing an opposition player by the testicles, or in other words “grabbing a handful of nuts”.

Well the season is only young but Leons up to his old tricks again!

This time it was Andy Lynch that copped the treatment.

The matter was referred to the RFL however Pryce was let off because “no apparent foul play, contact was not necessary but absolutely minimal.”

Now, I don’t know about you but, I cant think of any time during a match that contact with another mans nut sack is actually necessary, even if it is minimal.

Then we had the smallest man this side of Chorley, Leeds halfback Rob Burrow, talking about how Leeds straight away turned their attention to this weekend upcoming World Club Challenge after they won last years Super League Grand FInal.

“The day after the Grand Final we were thinking about the opportunity to play in this,” said Burrow.

It got me thinking, what would the Storm have been thinking of after their Grand Final triumph last year. Here is what I come up with:

Getting pissed as we celebrate for two week, coming out of the terrible haze of the worlds worst hangover, smashing the Kiwi’s in a one off Test, getting a break from training and going on a holiday, coming back to training and getting back to work, losing those extra kilos added during eating binges over Christmas….oh man, do I really have to go to Yorkshire in the middle of an English winter to play a trial game?

Still, if trail games are what Leeds Rhino’s players get themselves off to, good luck to them.

Last but not least, we had Great Britain Captain Jamie Peacock coming up with this pearler in the UK’s Guardian Newspaper:

“There are times, on the inside, when I feel exactly like that shy 10-year-old kid in those terrible NHS glasses,” said Peacock.

No, seriously, it gets even better!

“That part, feeling shy and unconfident, is the one you usually want to hide,” Peacock admits. “But you’ve got to be honest. We’re not all super-heroes, are we? You try and present that aura of intimidation and intensity which, maybe, I have on the field or in training. But away from rugby I’m not that sort of person.”

Wow, I’m almost waiting for him to talk about how his breast become tender during that time of the month, or how his boyfriend doesn’t spend enough time with him!

“I was very shy as a kid – and still am. I was thinking about that just before you came in. As much as I’m confident playing rugby, when it comes to stuff like this [pointing to the recorder between us], I still find myself being particularly nervous. Before I open myself to people I like to get to know them. It probably takes a couple of months for people to realise who I am before I reveal my full self.”

Ah, is it just me or is that the moment the violins start playing and Jamie leans in for passionate kiss?

Seriously, can you imagine the likes of Mal Meninga, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Gorden Tallis, Andrew Johns or basically any Australian Rugby League captain carrying on like this?

“It’s not a good enough excuse to say I’m shy, so I’m learning to enjoy the challenge of an interview like this because it’s testing a part of myself I normally don’t use. But in Leeds I find it very hard because it’s unbelievable how many people want to talk to you. I went out recently for a drink with some friends and ended up going home early. It was too much – all these people coming up to me. They’re generally very nice and somebody a bit more gregarious might enjoy it. But I always find it difficult.”

Wow, I bet that one puts fear into the Kangaroos with the World Cup at the end of the season.

Still, to be fair, if I talked like Jamie Peacock, you know, in a thick Yorkshire accent, like I’ve got a mouthful of marbles and I’m punch drunk, then I guess I’d be terrified of a bloke wanting to record my voice too!

Telegraph & Argus: Pryce caught squeezing again but no ban
Sky Sports: Burrow eager for challenge
The Guardian: ‘I still get very shy. We’re not all super-heroes, are we?’

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• Andy Lynch, Bradford Bulls, Chorley, Jamie Peacock, Leeds Rhinos, Leon Pryce, Poms, RFL, Rob Burrow, Sam Burgess, St Helens, World Club Challenge

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