WAKEFIELD Wildcats skipper Danny Kirmond is looking forward to warm weather training in Portugal next week - but knows full well the trip will be no holiday.
Richard Agar, Wakefield’s head coach, will take his troops to Browns Training Camp in Vilamoura, Portugal, for what is set to be the most intensive week of training for Wildcats ahead of the 2013 Super League season.
Wildcats leave on Saturday and spend a week at the camp, used by a number of elite teams from a wide range of sports, before returning to play their second pre-season trial game against local rivals Featherstone Rovers at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium next Sunday (kick-off 3pm).
It is a week Kirmond is looking forward to and one he believes will get him and his teammates in top condition for the big kick-off on Sunday, February 3 at Bradford Bulls.
“It should be really good,” he said.
“It will be good to have a little bit of a change of scenery and it will be good to get the players all together and to know each other a little bit better. I know we’ve not added too many players to the squad but it will be good to get everyone together, including the new additions, for a full week.
“I think Martin Clawson [strength and conditioning coach] will enjoy it more than the lads but it’ll be good to turn things up a bit and really rip into training.”
Wildcats returned to pre-season training at the start of November but some recent sessions planned for outdoors have been hit by the heavy rainfall in December that flooded playing surfaces around the district.
There should be no such problems in the south of Portugal, with dry weather and temperatures of around 16 degrees set to welcome the Wakefield squad at the weekend.
“The weather hasn’t been great over here and we haven’t been able to get on the pitches much because of the flooding,” said the ’Cats captain.
“We’ll definitely be able to get on the pitches over there and we’ll have a lot more time to go over things.
“It’ll be a little bit harder than the training we’ve had so far, I’m sure - there will be a lot of hard work. But I’m sure the lads will enjoy it and really rip into training, we’re looking forward to it.”
Wildcats spent time in Wales and France last season as part of their preparations, culminating in a trial game against Catalans Dragons which they lost 46-10.
Brad Singleton, Wakefield’s new loan signing from Leeds Rhinos, will join his teammates while players such as Oliver Wilkes, Andy Raleigh and Kyle Amor, who all missed the Boxing Day game at Leeds, will ramp up their return to full fitness.
See this week’s Wakefield Express for all the latest Wakefield Trinity Wildcats news from around the district.
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