COACH Shaun McRae was reported as saying some of the Knowsley Road players were cowards after defeat at Sheffield. But he refused to apologise for expressing his feelings after Saints' abysmal performance.

WHITTLE: Talk of a clear-out, cowardice, players, not up to standard. How much truth is there in these remarks attributed to you?

McRAE: Quite a lot, but let me add immediately that most of my invective was meant as a generalisation - in particular the use of the word cowardice - and was not directed at any one individual. Following the sickening defeat at the Don Valley Stadium I felt it was both time to come out of the closet and go for a public flogging instead. This comes from a man who fully realises the need to protect his players, but I also have a duty to faithful fans who spent hard-earned cash and their time to travel and were rewarded with such a poor display, particularly in the second half. I believe the game was not a lost cause for Saints when the Eagles grabbed the lead, but choice of the wrong options proved fatal and I could well understand the elation of a Sheffield team that suffered a 50-point thrashing by Wigan only 72 hours before. I have never hesitated to criticise Saints when they have won, and I do not need anyone to tell me censure was warranted here. I have had many letters, phone calls and handshakes congratulating me for the stand I made, and for which I am grateful. I can assure supporters that the mutual respect between the team, everyone at Knowsley Road and myself is still in place and there is no question of me failing to fulfill my contract until the end of next season. But changes

will have been made before then, otherwise I could be trotting out a similar message to you in 1998. WHITTLE: A certain amount of pride was regained against Bradford Bulls, don't you think?

McRAE: Agreed! More so when you remember that Saints were without eight players and once again I make no apology in naming them ie Bobbie Goulding, Apollo Perelini, Andy Northey, Steve Prescott, Tommy Martyn, Dean Busby, Simon Booth and Derek McVey. Realistically it is asking a great deal to defeat unbeaten Bradford without that little lot, and I am convinced that Saints did not play badly overall. O.K. we lost possession eight times to the Bulls' two in the first half and our one-on-one defence was leaky, but I felt the James Lowes' try was the killer just before the break. However, the Bulls have a squad of tremendous size and power which, at the end of the day, proved too much for Saints as it as done for every club in Super League. Perhaps my old friend Graeme Bradley summed up the strength of the Bulls' squad in telling me they rested six players in midweek against Castleford - what a luxury! As for young debutant Scott Barrow I was well pleased with his showing, because he followed the game plan, set up the second try and generally left one with the impression that he has a bright future at Saints.

WHITTLE: With Bradford clear at the top is a home draw in the Premiership all that is left for Saints to play for?

McRAE: Yes, plus the spin-off of a game against Australia at Knowsley Road if we qualify for the top three with London Broncos already guaranteed a fixture against the tourists. And we have not given up on the World Club Challenge, because a win Down Under could see Saints at the quarter-final stage.

WHITTLE: With Dean Busby withdrawn Saints' squad for Australia is now 23-strong, of which Tommy Martyn will not play while Apollo Perelini, Andy Northey and Steve Prescott are unfit at the time of writing. Not the ideal situation surely, for a 17-man game with three matches to play in a fortnight?

McRAE: Busby is well-and-truly 'plastered' from foot to mid-thigh and, because of the risk of swelling on the plane, he was ruled out on medical advice. Northey, Perelini and Prescott are expected to play at the some stage of the trip and, like Martyn, will benefit from rehabilitation from our physiotherapist Janette Smith who will have the facilities of Canterbury-Bankstown at her disposal.

WHITTLE: With all this in mind no doubt your fingers will be crossed that the injury jinx does not strike again versus Halifax on Sunday. What happens if your worst fears are realised?

McRAE: Heaven forbid! But if it did I think contingency plans would be in place to draft another player in at the 11th hour. One certainty is that skipper Bobbie Goulding will return against the Blue Sox.

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