Widnes Vikings v Leeds Rhinos: Rob Burrow wary of hosts' threat

FOR ALL they are overwhelming favourites, Leeds Rhinos' Rob Burrow maintains his side cannot under-estimate bottom-placed Widnes Vikings today.
Rob Burrow.Rob Burrow.
Rob Burrow.

The West Yorkshire club head along the M62 fresh from Friday’s stunning 40-0 annihilation of Warrington Wolves whereas their hosts are on a five-match losing sequence.

However, Leeds – who sit third – did lose 56-12 on Widnes’s artificial pitch last year, a stark reminder of what Denis Betts’s side can produce.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Every team seems to lift their game for us so we are expecting a really tough game,” said veteran hooker Burrow, who also knows Vikings led 22-10 at leaders Castleford Tigers on Friday before falling away.

“They will challenge us anyway and it’s a bit different playing there on that surface.

“I watched them at Magic Weekend and they’ve got some really good young talent coming through.

“It is a big area for rugby league and obviously they are still coming through the system there.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But we are feeling good and after a win like we had on Friday you look forward to the next game.”

They must do so, though, without Ashton Golding, the in-form full-back who signed a new five-year deal at Headingley last week but suffered a hamstring problem against Warrington.

Australian second-row Brett Delaney was helped off with a damaged knee, too, and is not fit for this afternoon’s game.

Mitch Garbutt should return, though, and fellow prop Jack Ormondroyd has been recalled from a dual-registration spell at Featherstone Rovers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Youngster Alex Sutcliffe is hoping for his Super League debut and Ash Handley could also be recalled while Burrow could spend time in the halves again as he did versus Wolves.

Leeds and Wakefield Trinity are mourning former player Don Robinson who has died aged 84.

Robinson was a Trinity Hall of Fame member and the first Leeds forward to win both the Challenge Cup and Championship.

In total he earned 10 Great Britain caps from 1954-60.