Salford Red Devils defeated Toulouse 44-10 last night to ensure their Super League status for next season. Coach Ian Watson gave his reaction after the match.
“We knew Toulouse were going to be tough and come at us with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, especially after the London performance. It was just about making sure we matched that and we didn’t put the pressure on ourselves. We’ve use the pressure this week to lift us and as motivation going forward and we’ve got the job done. The boys have done great.
“We didn’t need to feel the pressure if they scored. We needed to be nice and relaxed and just play rugby. The guys have been playing rugby since they were kids, and they’ve wanted to make an impression. These are the kind of games that you can make an impression in. When you can hold your composure and not let the pressure get to you. The boys have done great, but they have been great throughout the season really. They’ve been absolutely outstanding.
“For us we need to start looking to next year now. We know where we are going to be and we need to start planning for that.
“It’s a relief that we are not in the ‘Million Pound Game’ and we don’t have to go through that. It’s not a relief in terms of knowing what we can do as a group and where we are at. We have been through a lot this year, and the boys have been really stable as they have gone through the year. We’ve not panicked, we’ve not put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. We know things have been difficult with selling players, with new owners coming in and not having the funds. But, there has been a lot of people that have done an outstanding job. The leadership group I can’t speak highly enough of, Luke Burgess, I know he hasn’t played loads of games and he’s retired tonight but he’s been outstanding for us.
“Hastings and Lussick have given us a spine. They have given us a real energy and enthusiasm as a team. It was evident last week when Jackson didn’t play, you could see the difference in our kick-chase mentality.
“He’s different Jackson. He likes the communication. He is like the new age kind of player. He is very good with his relationship with not only the players, but the supporters of the club as well. He is very good with the media and with the kids over here. There was a kid who he invited to training the other week who had broken his leg. Jackson actually invited him down and wheeled him all the way to the training field and back here, and its little bits like that that you don’t see. He really buys into having a. Relationship with media and the supporters.
I hope with us getting the win tonight then he will decide that this is the place for him. The supporters have been brilliant since he has come in. they have took to him and give him a lot of support. The amount of love he was shown at the end there, it would be tough for him to go anywhere else really. He is an NRL player. He is as good as anyone I’ve seen.
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