Rochdale Hornets host Keighley Cougars

Fijian international Ryan Millard and Sam Te’o

Rochdale Hornets host Keighley Cougars this Sunday at Spotland in our second Kingstone Press Championship match.

Hornets lost out 12-42 last week against Dewsbury Rams and Keighley suffered a similar result as they fell 30-12 at Doncaster.

The Cougars have enjoyed four victories against Hornets in the last five meetings between the two clubs, the last success for Hornets came in a nail-biting 30-31 win away to Keighley in July 2011.

We got the thoughts of Hornets boss Ian Talbot ahead of the weekend’s game: “After playing them in a pre-season friendly we have a good idea of how they will play.

“Paul March used all of his experience to get them around the pitch and he had the game won single handily before half-time. Although he didn’t play in the friendly, his half-back partner, Paul Handforth will be of equal threat.”

The Cougars won that friendly match at Cougar Park 58-4 in January and Talbot knows where the Yorkshire clubs threats lie “If we can stop these two [March and Handforth] then we will be in with a chance.”

This week has seen the arrival of the Sam Te’o and Fijian international Ryan Millard from Australia; Talbot says they are in the mix.

“I will make minimal changes to the 17 but Sam Te’o and Ryan Millard will both come into contention after their arrival.”

Kick-off will be at 15:00 Sunday 2 March at Spotland.