Challenge Cup places on the line, warns Hull boss Gentle

Much of a growing optimism garnered from a run of nine wins from 10 was checked when they were emphatically defeated 30-4 in Perpignan last time out.

Hull have had the international break to dwell on that sobering loss and Gentle realises they must respond swiftly in Super League.

“We have to turn up with the attitude we had at Warrington and against Leeds – everybody on their game,” he said, Hull having recently defeated the champions and Challenge Cup holders.

“That is the biggest challenge for us this week; if Castleford look at our Catalan efforts they have a good chance of beating us so we need to make sure we turn up with a different intensity.

“You cannot afford to go down to back-to-back defeats.”

Hull vanquished Castleford 52-0 in March but Tigers are a different proposition since Daryl Powell succeeded Ian Millward.

“It is easy to say a new coach makes all the difference, but what it has done at Cas is give everyone a fresh start,” added Gentle.

“You can see it in Rangi Chase’s game and in a few of the players.

“Any side with Rangi in is dangerous, but it’s not just about him and it is going to be a tough test. They will have seen enough in the way we played against Catalan to think they have a very good chance of beating us.”

The Australian is mindful, too, that Hull have a return trip to France for the Challenge Cup quarter-final next month.

He believes, however, that should bring the best out of his side in the interim.

“Nobody was happy with their game after Catalan and there’s an opportunity for everybody now,” said Gentle, who gives Australian scrum-half Jacob Miller his debut tonight and also has State of Origin prop Mark O’Meley fit.

“We have three weeks to pick a squad that we feel can beat Catalan and we know that is going to be a daunting task.

“We need to be 100 times better. There’s a carrot there as everyone wants to play that quarter-final.

“And games will intensify as we get closer. From Cas, then Wakefield to Huddersfield, it’s another tough month.”

Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield could be back sooner than the expected six weeks following surgery on his dislocated thumb.

“Initially we thought it was dislocation and ligament damage but, on inspection, there was a fracture as well,” said Leeds head physiotherapist Andy Barker.

“Having it pinned is not necessarily a bad thing for Kevin and should actually mean he can come back perhaps a week earlier than we initially anticipated.”

Bradford Bulls’ transfer-listed second-row Elliott Whitehead has turned down a move to Salford City Reds, but Catalan Dragons remain interested. Warrington’s Garreth Carvell, 32, has been linked with a move to the Bulls.