Featherstone Rovers’ boss Daryl Powell has identified Whitehaven’s pack as the key to their success and challenged his forwards to face them head on.

Powell’s side beat Batley 34-8 in last week’s opening Co-operative Championship fixture but the former Leeds coach is desperate to follow that up with another win on Sunday.

Powell said: “There’s a lot more in us and there’s going to have be a lot more in us, but we got off to a winning start and that’s what we wanted.

“This will be a tough challenge against Whitehaven. They’re very strong up front so they’ll present a test for us in the forwards. We need to step up two or three notches for this game.”

Ironically Haven coach Ged Stokes is facing a selection headache up-front ahead of his side’s trip to West Yorkshire.

Matthew Tunstall (knee), Ryan McDonald (ankle) and Marc Jackson are all out injured while Taani Lavulavu was given a two-match suspension in midweek.

Stokes said: “Featherstone have always been a tough side that has been hard to beat. We know it’s going to be a difficult day, especially now that we’re down to one recognised prop.

“But at the end of the day, the result is the only thing that matters. We’ve got to put everything else out of our mind and focus on getting the result.”

Wath Brow will be getting in touch with Stokes when he gets back after Sunday as the Hornets travel to Featherstone in the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Coaches Ian Rudd (whose son Carl plays for Whitehaven) and Ian Rooney will be keen to get the low-down on Rovers from the Haven coach.

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