Injuries leave Lions pack in the lurch

RUGBY LIONS could go into tomorrow's home game against Fylde (2.30pm) without a recognised second row forward. James Wadey (ankle ligaments), Karl Braband (knee ligaments) and Tom Cheney (exams) are all ruled out, and Stuart Riding faces a late fitness test after picking injuries to both knees in last week's defeat at Tynedale.

It leaves director of rugby Mark Ellis with a selection dilemma for a game Lions need to win to maintain their push for a top four finish in National Division Three North - and even if Riding comes through, one of props Richard Siveter or Phil Greenbury will be asked to fill in.

"We did some work with them at training on Tuesday and looked at line-out variations bearing in mind that, whatever happens, we have lost a jumper," said Ellis. "We will be up against the biggest pack in the league, but hopefully we can run them around as much as possible and try to move the ball away from their forwards."

Lions have the incentive of overturning a 42-17 defeat at Fylde - one place ahead of them in the table in fourth - in November which Ellis describes as "our worst performance of the season by a long way, and we've had some bad ones away from home".

Added Ellis: "We certainly owe them one from up there and it's a little bit about restoring pride." Scrum-half Toby Handley is also a fitness doubt with an ankle injury that forced him to miss the game Tynedale, who wrapped up promotion with their 32-5 win.

"We were beaten by a better team," said Ellis. "I'll always applaud a good side and on the day they were head and shoulders above anything else I've seen all season. Their skill levels and everything else about them were fantastic, and gave us some-thing to apsire to."

Rugby Lions: (squad) Hawken, Murphy, Clarke, Hales, Goode, Viggers, Glackin, Rust, Greenbury, Price, Wati, Siveter, Overton, Riding, Nash, Prosser-Shaw, Brady, Handley, A N Other.