Kear nervous ahead of Skolars game

Batley coach John Kear says he is nervous ahead of his side’s clash against London Skolars.

Kear is adapting to life in the Championship and Northern Rail Cup at Mount Pleasant, but says he knows very little about teams in Championship 1.

He said: “I’ve been trying to get as much information as I can about London Skolars. If they’d have played against Toulouse I’d have endeavoured to get a DVD, but they didn’t.

“I’m a little twitchy about it because of that element of the unknown. Like most coaches I’m a control freak and I like to know what we’re up against it. This week I’m not so sure.”

Kear has decided to rotate several players who are being monitored, and refuses to risk players after two games into a hard season.

He said: “We’ve got a big squad, so if anyone’s feeling sore or under the weather they won’t play. I want to have a look at everybody during these first few weeks of the Northern Rail Cup campaign.

“I don’t think I’ll know my strongest 17 until halfway through the season, because the players are all putting it in at training. I’ve got to pay credit to them for that.”