SAINTS coach Keiron Cunningham was in a positive mood chatting to the Star’s senior sports writer Mike Critchley at the World Series media launch at the Lowry on Monday.

MC: Did everyone come through Thursday’s game ok?

KC: Yes, we are quite fit and we are going all right and have recovered from the few bangs and bruises we got out of Thursday.

MC: Sunday is a massive event. The staff and players are really professional in detaching the game from the occasion – how do you manage to that?

KC: You have got to. If you build something up in your mind that doesn’t have to be built up then you are always going to struggle.

As big as the occasion is, you are still going to take to a field and kick the ball and make your tackles the same as Salford and Catalans.

It is just that South Sydney have slightly better players than a few other Super League teams.

It is going to be big, it is going to be brilliant but we are in front of our home crowd. We have got a sell-out Langtree Park and it is a special occasion.

MC: On that note, how important is that 18th man?

KC: We have got to start building our legacy at Langtree Park. Knowsley Road was the best stadium in the world without a doubt – and I have played in a lot of big ones. The atmosphere at the old ground was second to none.

When you move grounds you have almost got to rebuild your history again and in the period of time that we have been here that process has started.

Last year and the start of this we have begun to do that – creating histories and memories. Langtree Park is on everyone’s lips now and winning these games is part of building that history.

MC: It is only when you look at the Saints sides that won the last two World Club Challenges against Brisbane Broncos you realise what a young side you have going into this?

KC: It is a good sign. One of our ambitions as a coaching team two or three years ago was to de-age as a squad.

We had to move some people on, and push some people up and went through a lot of pain for good reason. Now we are in a very good place at the moment and have set ourselves up for the next five or six years.

As long as the recruitment is done right we should be good for a good period.

MC: Off the field yourself, Sean Long, Ade Gardner and possibly Paul Wellens have all got experience of winning this World Club Challenge, how important is that?

KC: It is helpful – it means we are not going into it blind. We understand what it takes to win these sorts of games, but so do the players who won the Grand Final last year.

It is going to be a special occasion and they will be rubbing shoulders with giants – but if you want to be one of the best players in rugby league that is what you have to do.

MC: Do you prepare for this any differently?

KC: No, just the same because the most important thing about rugby league is consistency. We have got to do the same thing every week. If you start going out of your comfort zone and prepare in a different way you can end up falling flat on your face, so I will just prepare them exactly the same way as I did last week and nothing will be different.