CHAMPIONS Saints have returned to pre-season training with Paul Wellens taking his first sessions since moving up to the head coach’s job.

And there was a mixture of youth and experience, with new boys Wesley Bruines and Tee Ritson, plus those promoted from the Academy ranks being joined by veterans James Roby and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook among the other seniors.

Although players who have been on World Cup duty with England and Tonga will return later, the hard work has begun on the fields and in the gym.

 

Wellens said: “It is great to be back. We have some new faces in the group who have joined us, plus some guys who have come up through the academy system and have started full time with us.

“As you can imagine there’s an energy and enthusiasm about everything that is going on.

“The new blokes have settled in really well. What we have here is a great group of lads who are very welcoming to people coming to the environment.

“As the weeks go by they will settle in even more and we will get to see the best of them on the training field and then later down the track in games.”

The early sessions are very much about blasting off the cobwebs, and this will build ahead of the season start in February, which starts with a World Club Challenge against Penrith.

The return is helped by the players’ ability to look after themselves in the off-season.

And the players know, from past experience, that the hard work done here and now pays dividends during the long, gruelling season.

Wellens added: “The day itself is just about getting the boys moving again and we will work up towards the tough stuff as we move forward.

“We want the players to go away and have a break and be refreshed both mentally and physically but what a lot of these players do is look after themselves away from this environment.

“They have come in raring to go and that is great to see.

“We have had success as a team this last few years and that has been built on a foundation of working hard, and working hard early.

“The pre-season is where you get that fitness base and want the players to come in a knuckle down as we know they will reap the benefits moving forward.”