Young Tigers reflect on Wigan win

Sam Hall should have been gearing up for his first match in Castleford’s Reserves side but instead he was drafted into the First Team following a number of injuries sustained in the season opener against Toronto. Making your Super League debut is always a memorable moment but being amongst the senior players preparing for a top-flight match meant Sam had some pre-match nerves.

“Overall the whole thing has been a really good experience and I wasn’t expecting it and I’m glad that I got to go out there on the field really,” he said.

“Throughout game day I was just trying to pass the time but as kick off came closer I got more and more nervous but, as soon as I got on all those nerves went really.”

Coming on during the second half of the game and Cas wanting to hold their strong position, Sam was thrown right into the thick of it with Paul McShane teeing him up to run against the Warriors pack.

“You always want to try and make an impact but with all the senior players on the field it made it so much easier, like Macca, as soon as I ran onto the field he made me take the first carry and it got me straight involved into the game and as soon you take that first hit I felt a little bit more at ease.”

A win over Wigan is always a great feeling but to do it on your debut with the team around you down on numbers meant Sam got to walk into the changing rooms with a huge smile on his face.

“Making my debut is awesome but to win the game made it so much better, it was said in the changing room before to make the game good for my debut and so to get the win is incredible.”

Read more of what the Castleford captain Michael Shenton had to say following the victory HERE.

The other young gun on the Cas bench was Lewis Peachey who has already made a couple of Super League appearances but is keen to make an impact and force his way into the First Team for the future this season.

“It was really good to just get some experience I did get a couple of First Team games last year but obviously that was last year so it’s been a while since I’ve played at that level, so I loved getting out there and getting more experience.”

Peachey was full of praise for his fellow young forward Hall and believes that there was not much pressure on either of them due to the nature of being the youngsters in the squad, however he was delighted that they could be a factor in the first home win of the campaign.

“With me and Sam coming on it was really good to be honest, there wasn’t too much pressure put on us being young lads but I thought we did okay and helped get the win in the end.”

“I was just so happy that get the two points because I thought our team managed it well.”

Castleford Tigers take on Wakefield Trinity for the local #BraggingRights on Friday, 21st February. JOIN US AT THE JUNGLE.

2020 Season Ticket holders can see our youngsters in action at The Jungle for free with their Season Card.