FORMER St Helens and Great Britain skipper Paul Sculthorpe launched Saints’ 2010 home shirt this week – by leaping 13,000ft in a charity parachute jump funded by new club sponsors Frontline Bathrooms.
Coached by the Red Devils Parachute Display Team and reaching a speed of 158mph in sub-zero temperatures at Langar Airfield near Nottingham, Sculthorpe raised more than £1,000 for the Steve Prescott Foundation.
Sculthorpe, now employed by Saints as a business development executive, volunteered for his first-ever parachute jump to celebrate Frontline Bathrooms being recruited as main sponsor of the newly-designed home jersey.
The £1,000-plus charity donation is being made to the Steve Prescott Foundation, which supports the Rugby League Benevolent Fund’s Try Assist Fund and Christie Cancer Hospital.
The rugby league legend said: “Parachuting with the famous Red Devils is another great experience under the belt. It was nerve-wracking waiting two days before conditions were right but the thrill of the jump from 13,000ft was equalled only by the satisfaction of making another four-figure donation to the Steve Prescott Foundation.”
Meanwhile Crusdaers boss Brian Noble insists damage limitation is not part of his strategy as the Wrexham-based club prepare to lay down the welcome mat for champions Leeds in this evening’s engage Super League opener at the Racecourse Ground.
The Welsh club go into the game as massive underdogs following a turbulent close season in which protracted takeover talks left them with little time to assemble and prepare a new-look team.
But Noble, who expressed his frustration over the lack of preparation at the Super League launch in London this week, is determined not to dwell on the negatives as his quickly-assembled side look to pull off a major shock.
“If you concentrate on all the things we haven’t done it could be an intimidating night but I think the players are really excited,” he said.
“All those things are forgotten. It’s game day and everybody wanting to be successful at this club gets the chance to prove their worth. You go into every game trying to win, there’s never been any other philosophy for me. We’ve got to try and find a way to win.”
