Wigan v Whitehaven - Teams
Wigan welcome back second row pair Gareth Hock and Phil Bailey from suspension and illness respectively for the visit of Whitehaven.
Last Updated: 11/05/08 1:55pm
Wigan welcome back second row pair Gareth Hock and Phil Bailey from suspension and illness respectively for the visit of Whitehaven.
Coach Brian Noble is also set to give a debut to teenage half-back Sam Tomkins for the Challenge Cup fifth round clash at the JJB Stadium.
Tomkins gets his chance because New Zealand's Thomas Leuluai is expected to be jet-lagged following his whistle-stop trip to Sydney and back for Friday's centenary Test.
Whitehaven suffered a club record 98-4 defeat when they visited Wigan in the fourth round in 2000 and have not beaten the Cherry and Whites since 1982.
The Cumbrians will be without recent signings Martin Gambles, Andy Gorski and Tane Manihera, who are all ineligible, and long-serving overseas duo Leroy Joe and David Fatialofa, who both suffered broken arms in the last game against Leigh.
Hooker Carl Sice is also sidelined with a fractured a bone in his hand.
Thrashing
Wigan are bidding to bounce back from the embarrassment of their 57-16 defeat by St Helens in Cardiff last week.
Noble admits their 10-try thrashing is still hurting and says he is ready to swing the axe if his players do not respond.
"We were very disappointed," he said. "It hurt everybody. It hurt me and it hurt the Wigan fans who have been very very loyal.
"Excuses are running out for certain people. It's important that we respond.
"It's important that we recognise that everyone has to show up for this team. We have to re-instil some confidence and re-instil some back-to-basic beliefs that I have."
Haven coach Ged Stokes admitted: "The St Helens result was probably a bad one for us but it shows they have areas we can work on."