IT'S scrum down time for rugby league with the new season just a matter of days away. In the first of a two part feature, Mike Hulme, looks at the way Leigh Centurions and their new coach, Aussie Ian Millward are preparing for the new season. THE long wait is over for Ian Millward as he leads Leigh Centurions into action for the first time.

Almost three months after arriving, Millward finally gets the chance to see his team in the flesh when the Centurions travel to Keighley Cougars on Sunday (3pm) for the first of two pre-season trial games.

And the Cougar Park kick off can't come soon enough for Millward and his men.

"Everyone is itching to get stuck into the new season," says the Hilton Park boss.

"Our preparations have gone well, everybody at the club is 100 per cent fit and now we want to start putting our work into practice.

But Millward is making no rash promises.

"We're going to be rusty and I'm expecting that our cohesion will not be up to scratch. But I want a concentrated effort as a team and individually.That's the whole point of these trial games, to iron out any problems as they arise.

"We've worked hard on a defensive pattern and formulated an attacking plan. It will be beneficial to me and the players to see how they go under match conditions.

"While I want to win every game I'm involved in, the result in this case isn't as important as the performance. It will take a little time for us to get into the groove. Although I must say both would be nice to start with a win.

"It will be tough for us at Keighley because I expect them to be up in the top four or five at the end of the season. It will be a good benchmark for us. It will show which areas we need to address and what standards we have to reach.

"From a personal point of view I can begin to compare the opposition in our competition and make an assessment."

The following Sunday the Centurions will meet Oldham at Hilton Park in another trial game before kicking off their season in earnest on January 31 when Humberside amateurs Norland are the visitors in the third round of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup. IT'S scrum down time for rugby league with the new season just a matter of days away. In the first of a two part feature, MIKE HULME, looks at the way Leigh Centurions and their new coach, Aussie Ian Millward, are preparing for the new season.

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