SL Preview: Castleford v Widnes (Sun)

Castleford will be hoping to bounce back from their opening day thumping at St Helens when Widnes visit The Jungle on Sunday.

The Vikings come in to the match off the back of their encouraging 40-12 victory against Catalans on Sunday.

Winger Patrick Ah Van has been ruled out for three months with a broken arm, with youngster Olly Ashall called up in to the squad and looking the most likely replacement for him on the wing.

For Castleford, Joe Wardle misses out once again having been a late withdrawal before the St Helens match with a hamstring injury.

Jake Trueman, who started alongside Luke Gale in the halves last week, is missing through concussion.

Coach Daryl Powell has hinted that he may make changes following the 46-6 loss to St Helens, with Ben Roberts position at full-back reportedly under threat.

Castleford 19-man squad: Cook, Eden, Ellis, Foster, Gale, Green, Hitchcox, Holmes, Massey, McMeeken, McShane, Millington, Milner, Minikin, Moors, Roberts, Sene-Lefao, Shenton, Webster.

Widnes 19-man squad: W Albert, Ashall, Burke, Cahill, J Chapelhow, Dean, Gilmore, Hanbury, Heremaia, Houston, Inu, Marsh, Mellor, Olbison, Runciman, Walker, White, Whitley, Wilde.

Stats:

Castleford have won their last three meetings with Widnes, with the Vikings’ last victory against the Tigers coming 38-28 at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle on 9 June, 2016.

Castleford’s Matt Cook has scored a try in each of those victories.

Rhys Hanbury needs two tries to reach a century of touchdowns whilst in the British game. Hanbury has scored 81 tries for Widnes since 2012, to go with 17 for Crusaders (2010-2011).

Super League summary:

Castleford won 14
Widnes won 7
Castleford highest score: 42-8 (H, 2004); 42-38 (A, 2013) (Widest margin: 40-2, H, 2003)
Widnes highest score: 46-16 (H, 2015) (Widest margin: 40-10, H, 2012; 46-16, H, 2015)