Saints break new ground

OLDHAM St Anne’s are breaking new ground this weekend — with a match against the Czech Republic in Prague.

Saints, who play in the National Conference League, will field a mixture of first and second team players against one of rugby league’s emerging nations.

David Baxendale, who works behind the scenes at Higginshaw Road, said: “We’ve been told the game will be shown live on national television over there.

“It should be an experience and it is definitely a step into the unknown.

“We taking a party of 41, comprising of players, officials and it is quite exciting.”

The match, which takes place on Saturday, was set up by Jan Sluka, who made a handful of appearances for Saints a couple of years ago.

The prop made many friends in his brief spell at the club and is in line to play against his former team-mates.

Baxendale added: “Jan and Paul Green, our second-team coach, have done a lot of the organising and we’re all looking forward to the trip.

“Although it is out of our regular season, the players have been in training for quite some time.”

“The hope is that they will come over next year.”

The Czech Republic played their first match in 2006 and currently preparing for the European Shield, with matches against Germany and Italy.