Prop poser for Benson

PROP rotation looks set to be the order of the day for the Roughyeds as Lézignan come to town in the Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth round.

First-choice men Paul Highton (wrist) and Jamie I’Anson (calf) are both doubtful to take to the field against the French champions on Sunday and Wayne Kerr sits it out through a one-match suspension.

With Jason Bouts currently in Cyprus with work, coach Tony Benson could call upon the services of Richard Mervill, Luke Menzies and Luke Sutton in the front row for what is likely to be a fierce physical battle.

Checks will be made on Highton and I’Anson at training tonight, along with skipper Robert Roberts, who is suffering from a ribs injury, Stevie Gibbons, who hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder against Widnes on debut in February, and Danny Halliwell, who pulled a hamstring during the warm-up last week.

Roberts is rated as unlikely to turn out, while Tommy Goulden will be given another week’s rest due to a hamstring problem.

o THE two Oldham players who took to the boxing ring in a charity event at the Batley Frontier Club last night both appear to have come through unscathed.

Phil Joseph slugged it out for three rounds against Andy Burland and was slightly unlucky to have the bout called as a draw, while Paul Reilly cut a frustrated figure after opponent Billy Downs was forced to pull out on medical advice, albeit reluctantly, in the opening seconds after dislocating a shoulder in the opening skirmishes which then ‘popped’ back in. No contest was the outcome.

The top of the bill fight at the event — at which all money raised was split between the RFL Benevolent Fund and cancer charities supported by the Steve Prescott Foundation — saw Bill Quinn take on former Great Britain captain Garry Schofield.

The 43-year-old Oldham chairman, a keen amateur pugilist in his youth, outboxed Schofield with ease to triumph in his three-round contest.

ROUGHYEDS chief executive Chris Hamilton is appearing on BBC Radio Manchester’s ‘Rugby League Show’ from 6pm to 8pm tonight.