Wildcats v Tigers: ‘Special’ Chase must not distract us says Agar

ON the eve of the massive Stobart Super League XVII round 10 derby between Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Castleford Tigers, Cats boss Richard Agar has acknowledged that his team must be ready for the threat posed by Tigers’ stand-off Rangi Chase.

However, Agar has also warned his team that they must not regard their rivals as a ‘one-man team’ when they take to the Rapid Solicitors Stadium pitch on Friday evening.

Chase has once again been in outstanding form for Tigers this season but, like Wakefield, his side are desperate to kick-start their campaign that has so far gleaned only four points.

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Agar is aware of the danger his troops face from Chase, saying: “You look at some of the stuff that Rangi is doing and as an opposition coach it’s not funny but from a rugby league perspective it’s just great to watch.

“Over the last three or four games there has been some jaw-dropping stuff so we need to be on our guard for a really special player.

“But they are not a one-man team. Richard Owen and Nick Youngquest are doing a great job out of back field, they have got some real threat and potency at dummy-half with their hookers and they have got big strike on the edge with Brett Ferres.

“They have too much quality in there to totally focus on one man.”

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But Tigers’ strength, coupled with the individual impact of Chase, has given Agar a dilemma in the build-up to the game. He explained: “[Chase] is going to take some real handling from our defensive line and we will have to be ready for him.

“It’s very hard to for us to practise for. When you play certain teams you can replicate things but when you have a guy with the individual brilliance and physical attributes that he has got then it is very difficult to replicate on the training field.

“It’s not all about defence though. It is up to us to do the right things with the ball and keep Castleford as far away from our line for as long as we can.”

Read tomorrow’s Wakefield Express for more build-up to the Wakefield Wildcats v Castleford Tigers clash.