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Skills vital for Fax: Calland
HALIFAX boss Matt Calland has unveiled the new back-to-basics training approach that he hopes will finally take his side past the winning post in 2010.
The former England back, who saw his players fall at the final hurdle last season when they lost to Barrow in October's Co operative Championship Grand Final, put his squad through their first pre-season session last night.
Calland's players hit the weights in the Shay gym before moving on to Spring Hall for an intensive session with ball in hand.
"For the next six weeks, we are going to be really hammering the core skills, the basics of catching and passing," said Calland.
"If you cannot do that, you cannot do anything and I think they let us down at times last season.
"It's not just a problem for us, I think it's a problem for the game in general in this country.
"If you look at the Four Nations, for me one of the biggest differences between us and Australia was the speed and accuracy of their passing.
"You need to coach the correct technique, then do it again and again and again until they can perform it under extreme pressure, then you can call it a skill.
"Alongside the fitness and gym work, that will be our main focus until Christmas."
Two familiar faces at last night's session were veteran forwards David Larder and David Wrench who, as expected, have both penned new one year deals.
"They both agreed to stay a few weeks ago, it was just a matter of sorting out the paperwork," said Calland.
"They're both a pleasure to coach and they were certainly among our best players at the business end of last season.
"I'm delighted they're staying."
England rugby union defence coach Mike Ford has ruled out the possibility of taking over the nation's rugby league side.
Ford, a former Wigan and Castleford scrum-half, had emerged over the weekend as the surprise favourite for the position recently vacated by Tony Smith.
Ford said: "My name got linked with the job, it gathered momentum and the bookies made me favourite.
"I was surprised, I don't know where it came from.
"I'm very happy with my job with England rugby union."
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Weather for Halifax
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
