Former England scrum-half, now 33, plays his 300th Super League game this weekend and is feeling in better shape than ever
Salford’s Marc Sneyd didn’t even realise his treble ton was looming – but he is certain he wants more.
The ex-England scrum-half racks up his 300th Super League appearance on Sunday. Fittingly, it’s against former club Hull where he notched up 161 of those games – and two Challenge Cup final wins. But Sneyd, who continues inspiring resurgent Red Devils, admitted: “I had no idea. It’s the first I’d heard of it. Strangely, my missus asked me this week how many Super League games I’d played. That was weird because I’d not heard anything about this or knew the answer. But I can tell her tonight!”
Sneyd turns 34 in February but, given his brilliant form helping Salford to ten wins already, is far from contemplating retirement and is confident he can push well onto the 350 mark.
He said: “It’s obviously in the back of my mind but the way I’m thinking is I’m playing well and my body is still not giving up on me. I don’t think I’m slowing down at all.
“I’ll make the decision later. But for the time being I have no plans whatsoever to hang my boots up. And I’ve a couple more years here at Salford.”
Sneyd, the competition’s top try assister with 17 heading into this round, made his Super League debut during his first spell with Salford in 2010. On whether he ever thought he’d get to 300 appearances, the two-time Lance Todd Trophy winner admitted: “I probably didn’t think I would. It never crossed my mind early on when I was trying to get in the side regularly.
“But as the years go on you get your shirt from whichever club you’re playing for, saying 100 Super League, 150, 200 and they slowly racked up. It’s a good milestone, 300. I’m quite happy with that.”
Struggling Hull only have two wins all year but Sneyd, who’s clocked up 112 Super League games for Salford after 26 at Castleford, insisted: “Especially on the field, from what I’ve seen to what they were maybe six weeks ago, they are definitely progressing. It’s as clear as day for everyone to see; they are really having a dig and pushing teams close.
“We’ve definitely got to be up there. We won’t take them lightly as a win. We know full well we have to perform to our best like we have done the last few months to get the result and keep ourselves where we are – and hopefully climbing a bit more up that table.”