Players missing for basement battle

Both Widnes and London have key players missing ahead of their basement battle at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.

The Vikings, who lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with a shock win over Huddersfield last week, will be without half-back Joe Mellor, who was handed a one-match ban by the RFL disciplinary committee this week for a dangerous tackle on Scott Grix on Sunday.

He is joined on the sidelines by fellow Wigan loanee Stefan Marsh, who hobbled off in the victory over the Giants.

Widnes do, however, welcome back captain Jon Clarke from suspension, although they remain without long term absentees Shaun Briscoe, Ben Kavanagh, Simon Finnigan and Thomas Coyle.

For Rob Powell’s Broncos, Australian pivot Michael Witt is out, with a shoulder injury he picked up in the disappointing defeat against Wakefield.

Chris Melling (neck), Liam Colbon (shoulder) and Matt Cook (ligament damage) are also missing.

Widnes won the previous meeting between the two sides 38-30 at the Stobart Stadium in March.

The Broncos have managed just two wins this season, since the club re-branded from Harlequins.

London 19-man squad v Widnes: Bailey, Bryant, Caro, Clubb, Dixon, Dorn, Golden, Gower, Howell, Kaufusi, Lovell, O’Callaghan, Randall, Rinaldi, Rodney, Robertson, Sarginson, Temata, Wheeldon.

Widnes 19-man squad v London: Ah Van, Allen, Cahill, Clarke, Cross, Davies, Dean, Flynn, Gilmore, Haggerty, Hanbury, Isa, Kite, Leuluai, McShane, Owens, Phelps, Pickersgill and Winterstein.