Whitehaven v Doncaster RLFC: Horne set for first game in charge against '˜form team'

Richard Horne, pictured during his playing days at Hull FC.

The Dons go into the game on a five-match unbeaten run.

That sequence includes a win at nearby Workington at the start of the month.

But Horne knows that the game promises to be their toughest on the road in the league this season.

“Along with (leaders) Toronto, they are probably the form team in the league right now,” he told The Star.

“They’ve only lost once in the league this season and they had a good win at (fourth-placed) York last weekend.

“They’ve got a big physical pack and they’ve also got a threat in the backs.

“But we’ve put a game-plan together this week which we hope will combat their threats and get us a result up there.”

With the game at Bootham Crescent having being played on one of the hottest days of the year, Horne is hoping that the Dons, who were without a game, will be the fresher side on the day.

It is a game which is set to have a big impact on Doncaster’s hopes of a top-two spot going into the play-offs.

“Hopefully that game took a lot out of their players,” said Horne.

“Players in a full-time environment can probably get over a game played in such conditions in a couple of days but it can take longer for part-time players, especially if they also have a physically demanding job, to recover.

“We’ve been careful not to sap the energy out of the players during training (in the recent heatwave) and we’ve not done a lot of physical work.”

Prop Feka Paleaaesina and full-back Tom Carr are expected to be available for selection this weekend.