PROP idol Richie Hayes has spoken of his pride after officially being named as captain of York City Knights by player-boss Paul Broadbent.

The 32-year-old front-rower will lead the team out for the first time when they play their inaugural game on Sunday at home to Hull KR - his former club.

The countdown is ticking towards the new-look club's big kick-off and Hayes is delighted to get the armband.

"It's a feather in your cap when you are asked to be captain, especially by someone like Paul Broadbent," he said.

"Paul's given me a rundown of what he wants from me and I feel I'm up to it."

Hayes would have skippered the Knights in their friendlies against Oldham and Wakefield, but both those matches were frozen off.

"It was a big disappointment to have both friendlies called off," added Hayes. "It is a blow to preparations because you could do with a warm-up game or two, even more so when you're an entirely new team like we are."

The accolade of being named captain is just the latest in a long line of personal awards for the York-born star.

He won a plethora of gongs in his eight years with York Wasps, lifted the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final title with Hunslet in 1999, and collected player-of-the-year awards with Hull KR in the last two seasons as well as being named the NFP's top prop last term.

Broadbent was confident he had handed the responsibility to the right man.

He said: "The respect he's got from the other players and the attitude he's got towards the profession, towards his game and everything about what he does speaks for itself.

"You need somebody who leads by example and gives people something to follow and he does that."

Amateur outfit New Earswick All Blacks - Hayes' first club - have loaned the Knights several players to make up a 13 versus 13 training match tonight.

Knights forward Mick Ramsden also has strong connections with the All Blacks and helped arrange the loans.

The match was needed to give the Knights the chance to work on game strategies ahead of Sunday's cup opener after their pre-season friendlies were called off.

Broadbent added: "It's really good of them (All Blacks) and it's appreciated that they've agreed to help us out.

"It won't be full defence or full contact but it will help us get used to working areas of the field and to calls and plays."

Updated: 12:25 Tuesday, January 14, 2003