Widnes v Hull KR: Poching is looking for his players to step up

Willie Poching wants Hull KR to take the positives from last weeks game against St Helens into tonights match at leaders Widnes (Picture: Tony Foster).

They head to Widnes Vikings still looking for their first win of the season and with Chris Chester’s sacking as head coach still reverberating around the East Yorkshire club.

Nevertheless, Rovers – under Poching’s watchful eye – displayed desire aplenty to push St Helens close a week ago before eventually succumbing at KC Lightstream Stadium.

Repeating that at in-form Widnes Vikings when shorn of three more players in acting-captain Graeme Horne, playmaker Albert Kelly and banned James Green, means it will be difficult.

But Poching said: “You saw the response last Friday – they were really putting themselves out there with a performance full of effort and desire. We need to harness some of that this weekend.

“We’ve taken a lot of confidence from it and the challenge now is to back that up. That’s the big one. There were reasons, motivations, things that happened last week that drove everyone on.

“But we need to find whatever it was for whichever individual to put it forward this time too.”

Widnes who were in the Qualifiers facing Championship opponents with Rovers last season –moved to the top of Super League after last week’s impressive win at Huddersfield, a third victory from their opening four games.

Poching added: “Kevin Brown’s found some form of old, doing a great job directing Widnes around and Lloyd White out of dummy-half is really dangerous.

“He’s one of the key performers in Super League this year.

“They have a big strong pack and know how to play on that (artificial) pitch. We’ve done some prep ourselves training on a 3G pitch to try and prepare for this.

“We’ll see on Friday if that has some benefits. We’re looking forward to it. It’s a tasty game for us.

“We went close to a great achievement against Saints but will have to be close if not better to get two points now. We’re under no illusion how hard it’ll be.”

Academy duo Kieran Moran and Joe Wardill are both in the 19-man squad hoping to debut for depleted Rovers who also have young Matty Marsh coming in to replace Kelly.

“We’ve some challenges but the 17 picked will have the full faith of the staff and peers,” added Poching. “Two young fellas have had chance to join training due to what they’ve done so far in the Academy set-up and they might get a chance.”