Featherstone recall prop from loan deal

Featherstone have recalled prop Jimmy Beckett from his loan at Championship counterparts Oldham.

Beckett, 20, has played in four of the Roughyeds’ six games this season, and goes straight in to Rovers’ 21-man squad for their Challenge Cup tie with Hunslet on Friday night.

He scored the winning try in the play-off final win over Newcastle which clinched promotion, and arrived back at the club on a season-long loan deal – with the agreement he wouldn’t play in cup competitions.

After the statutory 28 day period, Featherstone have now exercised their right to recall to help them cover injuries.

Coach Matt Diskin said: “Jimmy is in the Rovers squad for their cup-tie and we’ll know more next week about what’s going to happen from here.

“Losing Jimmy will hurt us because as we stand just now  we don’t have the depth to compete in the Championship.

“We are weak in one or two areas and we are working hard all the time to bring people in, but it isn’t easy to get the right men.

“There are a couple of names in the pipeline, but we’ve had carrots dangled in front of us and then taken away and it is proving very difficult indeed to get hold of anyone, although the search is going on all the time.”

Oldham have a blank weekend following their Challenge Cup exit at the hands of Widnes a fortnight ago, and are next in action at Leigh on Saturday.