Kingstone Press Championship One Preview: Gateshead Thunder v Hunslet Hawks

Gateshead Thunder coach Stanley Gene is challenging his team to prove they can play for 80 minutes against the top teams in Kingstone Press Championship One.

Thunder won 66-6 against London Skolars last week, with stand-off Jordan Meads claiming the competition’s Player of the Week title with a dominant performance.

But Gene is expecting a much sterner test against third-placed Hunslet Hawks. He said: “If you look at our three games against Hunslet, York and Oldham we competed in first half, but lost the plot in the second half.

“The biggest thing for me is to get out there and produce an 80-minute performance, just like we did last week against London. It’s a great chance for us to see where we are.”

Hawks coach Barry Eaton has doubts over Danny Ansell and Stuart Kain, but Danny Grimshaw, Luke Stenchion and Jimmy Watson are all available.

Eaton said: “Last week we had lapses in concentration or communication, which led to missed tackles or penalties, and that’s what hurt us against Gloucestershire. We’re going to have to be better on Sunday.

“Gateshead have had a good win that has got to be deemed a high-calibre performance, and we know we’re in for a tough challenge. They’ve got decent players in important positions and they pose big threats.”