By IAN JUDSON
rugbyleaguehub.com: How has the trip been so far?
Corey Jensen: “It’s been good. We’ve been here for about a week and got accustomed to the jet lag and it’s a different climate to what it is in Australia but it’s been excellent so far.”
RLH: How seriously do NRL sides take the WCC?
CJ: “We’re taking it really seriously. We’ve had good preparation and a really good pre-season and it’s another opportunity for us to come over here and showcase what we are and the NRL and play a team like Rovers who had a fantastic season last year and it’s going to be a great spectacle. So hopefully we can go there and do well.”
RLH: Will the Ashes experience of certain players with the Australia squad help them with the climate?
CJ: “Yeah, I think so. Like you said, a lot of them were here just a couple of months ago, so they’ll have some idea of what the climate’s like, what to expect. What the atmosphere’s going to be like out there in the game is obviously very important, so we feel like we can settle in well and go well on Thursday.”
RLH: Does Michael Maguire’s in-depth knowledge of Super League help a lot?
CJ: “Yeah it is. Like you said, he had a great coaching career over here as well, so he obviously knows it well and understands how big rugby league is here on this side of the world, so we’re under no illusion about how tough the game’s going to be. But it’s one we’re really looking for ward to and we’ve been training well for it.”
RLH: Did you watch Rovers’ game against York?
CJ: “No, we didn’t watch the game but we did obviously see the result and that’s obviously not the start they wanted to get away with. But they’re a quality side and we’re under no illusion that they’re going to be great on Thursday night. I’ve watched them play a bit from last season as well and they went really well and they’ve been able to maintain the majority of the squad, so we know how tough they’re going to be and we’re preparing for their best performance.”
RLH: Does the intensity of the York game give Rovers an advantage?
CJ: “Possibly, but we try and train at an intensity that matches game simulation. We had a decent opposed session with London Broncos yesterday (Saturday) and we’ll have a decent hit out (with Hull FC) again tomorrow (Monday) so our pre-season has been really strong and tough as well. So we’re hopeful that we’ve put the work in, and they’ve had a game under their belts, so they will be game hardened and it’s up to us to go out and match that intensity.”