Published at 10:31, Saturday, 10 July 2010

WILLIAM Barthau and Tony Gigot are in line for their Olympique debuts tonight after joining the club on dual-registration deals from Catalans Dragons.

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TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE v SHEFFIELD EAGLES

However, Constant Villegas (knee) and former Leeds star Simon Worrall (shoulder) are both ruled out for the rest of the season. Andrei Olari (knee) is also unavailable this weekend.

Second-rower Maxime Herold could be included after joining from Limoux, with Toulouse coach Gilles Dumas knowing his side are likely to need a victory to remain in the Co-operative Championship play-off places.

Dane McDonald (shoulder) could return for the Eagles, but mystery surrounds the future of Eagles half-back Aaron Groom after he made himself unavailable for last week’s win at Batley.

Coach Mark Aston has admitted he may be forced to bring some fresh faces into his squad as the Eagles battle for a top-six spot, having signed want-away Barrow hooker Andy Henderson this week following his protracted dispute with the Raiders.

“We are always looking at who might be available to come in,” he said. “I can still fetch people on loan or on a contract.”

Simon Brown could play after joining from South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster.

HALIFAX v WHITEHAVEN

SAID Tamghart (knee) and Sean Penkywicz (shoulder) are doubtful for Halifax, who can strengthen their place in the top four of the Co-operative Championship with victory over crisis club Whitehaven tomorrow.

Mark Gleeson is also ruled out for the rest of the season, while Fax will assess Graham Holroyd, Ben Black and James Haley before finalising their squad.

Whitehaven coach Ged Stokes has admitted he does not know which players will take part tomorrow, with club chairman Dick Raaz having said those who have rejected reduced pay will not play for the side.

Stokes said: “The players have had to take (pay) cuts and some of them aren’t doing so, so at this stage I don’t know who’s playing and who’s not.

“The only thing I do know for sure is that we’re definitely putting a team on the field.

“It’s the culmination of what’s been a very disruptive year, but we’ve just got to battle on.”

On Halifax, he added: “They will be as they always are, a side that can score a lot of points against you if you take your foot of their throat.”

WORKINGTON TOWN v LONDON SKOLARS

BARROW old boys Lee Dutton and Stuart Rhodes should return for Town, but Ryan Campbell (ankle), John Lebbon (knee) and Walneyite Liam Finch (knee) are not available.

Millom’s Elliott Miller, a former GB Community Lions winger, could make his debut after signing on at Derwent Park having previously impressed on trial with Super League Hull FC.

“Elliott’s still only 19, but he’s a big, strapping lad who can certainly run,” said Gary Charlton, Workington’s joint-coach.

“We think we’ve got a good one in him. He knows where the try line is, and he’s scored plenty of tries throughout his career.

“He’ll be good enough to do a job for us right now. Mike Backhouse has been struggling with a hamstring, but he’s been playing on through it because John Lebbon’s been out. This could be a nice time to give Mike a bit of a breather and let Elliott have a go.”

On Skolars, Charlton added: “They’ll be buzzing this week. We’ve got to knock that out of them.”

Jymel Coleman could miss out for London, who are definitely without James Simon (shoulder).

James Massara’s side are hoping to kick on after last week’s impressive victory over Rochdale.

“It was a much-improved performance,” said Massara. “It was finally the day when all the parts clicked into place, and it’s something we could have done a long time ago.

“The lads’ enthusiasm and belief have gone through the roof, and it’s now a case of harnessing that and putting it to good use against Workington.”

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