Danny Paul: I'll pay back Leeds
Leeds back row player Danny Paul says he is ready to pay back Leeds after the club decided not to release him during a year of injury.
Paul did not play at all last season as he went under the knife for shoulder surgery on two occasions. There were hopes that he would be able to play by last March but a hiccup in rehabilitation stopped this from happening.
Paul says that the pre-season campaign just seems to go on and on and that it is frustrating him because all he wants to do is play for the club he loves. This bodes very well for Leeds because they are effectively getting a new player for their Premiership season.
Leeds will benefit in a number of areas as Paul comes back into the team and starts to play better and grow stronger. However, they must be very careful and quash any signs of his injury re-appearing.
Benefits for Leeds
Paul is a very athletic, strong and fit player. It is clear from his physical appearance that he has taken care of himself during his time away from the pitch. The club will not have to worry about his fitness and it means he could play in the first game of the season if needed.
The back row star clearly has a drive and a determination to do well this season. Leeds can benefit from this because they know they have a back row player that they can build the rest of the defence around. This will be key when it comes to stopping the bigger sides in the league.
Paul is a great passer and forward kicker of a rugby ball. This makes him very effective clearing lines and it means that Leeds can use him to get out of trouble and up the pitch when they are under pressure.
He said: "Leeds put a lot of faith in me this last year. Knowing the coach has got full belief in me is a big bonus, I've got to prove that I'm worth what they think I am. I was a bit nervous in the week building up to the game and when I finally got back out there, I couldn't put it into words really, finally getting my hands on the ball."
The injury
The problem with Paul's injury is that it came in the shoulder area. This is very unfortunate for a rugby player because the shoulders are a part of the body that has to endure extreme stress and pressure throughout a match.
If Leeds do not take care of their player in the correct way then they risk making his injury re-appear. This would be a huge blow to the player's morale and it would also mean that Leeds would be missing one of their best back row players.
Paul added: "It was just being in the team environment when we've been training throughout the week, just running into the pads again and doing the simple things like lifting in the lineout and chatting to the boys in the field. That's the thing I've missed most. It's been quite lonely, there were one or two of us with shoulder injuries last year - it was just us sat in a room."
Betting advice
Leeds are not going to be one of the teams at the top of the Premiership contending the title by the season's end. Paul will add something to the defence of the team but better sides will find ways to score. Back Leeds when they are playing the weaker sides in the division.
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