Foster: I'm working hard to improve (From St Helens Star)

Jamie Foster: I'm working hard to improve

11:09am Thursday 9th August 2012 in Latest News By Andrew Kilmurray, News editor

JAMIE Foster has pledged to graft hard to improve his game and hopes his future remains with Saints.

The winger, who has played three matches on loan at Hull, admitted to enduring a “tough” few months after a loss of form led to him falling out of favour.

He has not featured in a top flight fixture for Saints since Royce Simmons’ departure in March but is hopeful the four-week spell in Humberside will put him back in the frame at Langtree Park.

Foster told the Star: “Hull is a big club with a big fanbase so it is a big opportunity for me to play top flight rugby again.

“I’m fully committed to St Helens, I’ve got one year left on my contract and they are the team I want to be playing for in the future.

“(But) I’ve played in 50 games and two Grand Finals and perhaps playing in the under 20s wasn’t the right thing for me – I wasn’t getting better as a player and I need to go and test myself – and to be dropped straight into a Hull derby and give a good performance (was good for me).

“Not playing has been hard, I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t been tough. At the start of the season with Royce things weren’t going too well and I think a few things didn’t go right for me – whether that be the bounce of the ball or a few mistakes I made.

“Rushy (Mike Rush) and Keiron (Cunningham) sat me down and said ‘you need some time out’ and the guys that went in there such as Ade (Gardner) and Francis (Meli) had good games.”

Foster, 22, added he has been working on strengthening elements of his game.

He added: “There are a lot of things about my game that I want to pick up on – I probably needed to look at my defence and a few things, which may be don’t get noticed but make a big contribution to the team.” Rush, meanwhile, said the loan would give Foster a chance to prove he is ready to return to play first team action for Saints.

He said: “We want a squad where there is competition for places. Hopefully he will put us under pressure with his performances.

“Jamie is a good kid. I’ve had him since he was 11 years of age, playing for the schoolboys side.

“Our selections have been down to the coaching style of myself and Keiron at the moment (using big or very fast wingers to help return the ball).

“But, as any coach will tell you, philosophies change depending on the playing staff you have.

“We will address it the end of the four weeks and see where we are.”