White ready for comeback

Widnes hooker Lloyd White is set to make his comeback from injury in Sunday’s pre-season friendly against Workington.

White, 24, has been on the sidelines for eight months after picking up a serious injury in a game against Catalan in May.

The Wales international had just started to hit top form for the Vikings at hooker, having initially started his Stobart Stadium career at stand-off.

He’s now lost his number six shirt – he was handed squad number 18 by Denis Betts for 2013 – and will be looking to return to form to earn his place in the Wales squad for the World Cup.

The former Crusaders man told the club’s official website: “It was a real nightmare at the time. I’d started to put a bit of decent form together and had a bit of consistency in my game and then injury struck.

“As the day is drawing nearer, I’m getting really excited about playing again. It’s been a long time coming and I’m relieved the injury is now completely out of the way and I can look ahead to the rest of pre-season and the coming season, knowing it is all behind me.

“Once I’ve got Sunday’s game under my belt, it will be full steam ahead and I’ll continue to work hard on my game and attempt to cement a place in the first ‘17′ every week. If I manage to achieve this consistency, hopefully I will also be able to pull on a Wales jersey at the end of the year in the World Cup and compete against some of the best players in the World.

“I’m not getting carried away though and I’m purely looking at things one day at a time and seeing how it goes.”

Trialist Matt Sarsfield is also set for his first appearance in a Vikings shirt, after missing the Boxing Day friendly against Warrington through illness.

New signing Phil Joseph is set to make his second outing, having earned a permanent deal following his display in the defeat to the Wolves.

Full-back Shaun Briscoe and stand-off Kevin Brown are still missing through injury.