CASTLEFORD TIGERS have been rocked by illness ahead of their Challenge Cup clash with Hull FC on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers, who will welcome the Challenge Cup as a break from Super League, go into the fixture with head coach Andy Last confirming that there has been a struggle to find 21 fit players.
“The challenge is to have 21 players! We have had illness in camp so Tuesday we had to cancel the afternoon session as we didn’t want player sin close proximity so we did a field session and asked them to go away and do a bit of work on their own,” Last said.
“The wellness markers which they fill in, they are still low especially on a Thursday. There is a bit of cough and colds, diarrhoea. It has been lingering for a couple of weeks now.
“We get players isolated and away from it but a couple of days later someone else ends up going down with it. It is lingering a bit longer than we wanted it to.
“It’s been a challenge but that is rugby league. Every team has these periods where they do it tough with injuries and viruses. We are doing it tough at the moment but we will crack on.”
As well as illness, Last has had to deal with two of his wingers being cup tied.
“We have some issues with our outside backs and one or two are cup tied. Elliot Wallis is cup tied so that is a bit of a kick in the guts for him and myself.
“I made the decision with regards to Jason Qareqare and that is hurting us now because we are picking up injuries.”
