Chris Cusiter excited by Murrayfield return of 'Magic Weekend'

The 27-year-old was happy to support the SRU's promotion of the return of RFL's 'Magic Weekend' to Murrayfield yesterday, revealing he had had his eyes opened to the excitement of the league game when playing for Perpignan in France.

The Catalans Dragons have become a popular and colourful addition to Super League and many of their supporters were in Edinburgh last year and voted the first two-day festival of league a success. Cusiter is also a Dragons fan.

"I hadn't watched a lot of Super League before I moved to France," he said, "but I enjoyed going to the Catalans Dragons matches. I will definitely watch it when it comes back to Murrayfield.

"It is a really fast game and there are always lots of tries, so that makes it exciting to watch. There are also a lot of big hits and big ball-carriers, and, as a game, rugby league is quite easy to understand and straightforward."

That is one of the advantages league holds over union, especially in current times as debates rage over refereeing interpretations, particularly in scrums and breakdowns, aspects league dispensed with to create a quicker, more attractive game.

Union undoubtedly has much going for it, but it will be interesting to see how many Scottish rugby supporters will be turned on to the prospect of another league weekend on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 May with seven engage Super League games on offer. Of last year's 59,729 supporters over the two days, which beat the amount set by previous host city Cardiff, the RFL recorded that 6,236 came from Scotland.

As well as a move away from derbies this year, the RFL also has different clubs setting the pace. On the Saturday, the much-vaunted Bradford Bulls kick-off the action at 1pm with a match against the Crusaders. The Welsh team have recently signed former Wales and British and Irish Lions union captain Gareth Thomas.

The 35-year-old made his debut in a 14-6 win over the Catalans Dragons last month at Wrexham's Racecourse ground, but had to be replaced after just 30 minutes with concussion, however, he is back in action and should make his first appearance at Murrayfield as a league player next month.

Hull FC face Harlequins' league side in the second game (3pm), Salford take on the second-placed Warrington Wolves (5pm) and the first day finishes with the always fiery derby between Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Wildcats at 7pm. The Rhinos have been the Grand Final champions for the past three years, but are struggling in the league this term after losing five of their opening ten games this season while the Wildcats are in sixth spot at present.

Cusiter's favourites the Dragons have been drawn to open the second day at 2pm and they are up against Castleford, who also have a Scottish connection. Graham Steadman, who as defence coach is currently helping Andy Robinson turn the Scotland national side into a very hard team to beat, was a legendary player at 'Cas', and coached there before switching to union.

With Wigan's return to the top of Super League this season, the most attractive game of the weekend for many neutrals will be on Sunday afternoon when the Warriors go up against Huddersfield, who currently lie in fourth spot in the table.

'Magic Weekend' finishes with St Helens bidding to maintain their push for silverware after three successive Grand Finals when they take on Hull KR at 6pm.

There is also the added attraction for league fans of an appetiser for the weekend with Scotland A playing their French counterparts in a rugby league match at Currie on the Friday night before.

With a place in the 2011 Four Nations against Australia, New Zealand and England up for grabs for the winners of this October's rugbyleague.com European Cup, both Scotland and France are looking for as much preparation as possible and are taking this A international seriously. That game kicks off at Malleny Park at 7.30pm.