Centre pair keep Benson waiting

CENTRE duo Marcus St Hilaire and Craig Littler are the biggest fitness headaches for Roughyeds coach Tony Benson ahead of the big test at York.

Last night’s training session, featuring a video review and a team meeting, had the club’s medical staff working hard to tend to the plethora of injured bodies within the playing squad.

The recurrence of St Hilaire’s calf problem which troubled him earlier this season, coupled with Littler’s pulled hamstring, are the most pressing concerns at present and both men will be assessed further on Thursday.

Tommy Goulden (hamstring), Paul Reilly (lower back) and Jamie I’Anson (dead leg) will also be looked at then, but there is some positive news ahead of Sunday’s Co-operative Championship One final eliminator at the Huntington Stadium.

Phil Joseph’s pulled hamstring has improved, Matty Ashe’s badly bruised eye has opened up and Army winger Ben Seru is back in the ranks having completed a two-week stint in London.

With the injuries in the back line, it could be that speedster Seru is pressed into first-team action for the first time in the make-or-break clash.

“We planned out our week to recover by 25-per-cent on Tuesday, moving up to 80-per-cent on Thursday and then the final 100-per-cent on Saturday morning,” said Benson.

“Injuries are common at this time of year due to tired bodies and the increased intensity of competition.”

The referee for the York clash is Super League official Phil Bentham.

Elsewhere, Joseph has received a call-up to the Wales train-on squad for the European Cup starting in October.

He will work under new coach Iestyn Harris, the Shaw-born star who became a dual code international.