Wasps hit by yet Moore injury misery.

YORK Wasps have suffered a second injury blow in only the first week of the Northern Ford Premiership season.

Hospital tests have revealed Craig Moore snapped ligaments in his thumb during the opening defeat by Doncaster on Sunday, and the centre could now be ruled out for eight weeks.

Moore completed the game but the problem later flared up and he went to hospital after midweek training, with doctors diagnosing the injury and putting his hand in a splint.

He has been told to rest the thumb for two weeks, but if it does not heal by itself he will need an operation, resulting in a two-month absence.

Coach Lee Crooks is already without Andy Precious for at least two months, with 'X'-rays this week confirming the prop forward had suffered a double fracture of the ankle and shinbone in only the first minute of last week's match. His leg will be in plaster for six weeks.

Crooks, who will again be without scrum-half Gareth Stephens with hamstring problems and suspended former Lock Lane winger Tim Rumford for tomorrow's clash at Hull KR, is now hoping back row forward Andy Hill, who also missed last week's opener, can shake off his own hamstring trouble in time for the trip to Humberside.

"Out of 23 squad players, we've got four injured and one suspended," said the Wasps' chief, who is wanting to bring two new players in before Christmas, including a direct replacement for Precious.

"If it stays as it is we will have a decent side out and I'm confident that if we play well we could get a decent result. Any more injuries though will start to bite a bit."

There are no such problems at New Craven Park, where Hull KR head coach Gary Wilkinson, who took over from the sacked Dave Harrison in the close season, is likely to field much the same team that won 18-0 at Gateshead Thunder last week.

One probable change, however, will be the inclusion at number five of Wembley winner Bright Sodje, in place of youngster Mark Blanchard.

The 31-year-old Sodje returned to his first club this week after two spells with Wakefield Trinity and a successful time at Sheffield Eagles, where both he and new team-mate Whetu Taewa were part of the side that shocked Wigan in the 1998 Challenge Cup final.

Andy Taylor looks set to stay at full-back despite the return from injury of experienced number one Bob Everitt, while former York Wasps' half-back Darren Callaghan and prop Rich Hayes, both of whom left Huntington Stadium in the summer, will come up against their old mates.

Australian David Luckwell, who played for Wales in the World Cup, might start on the bench if he shakes off a knock picked up last week, though Jamie Bovill stands by.

Rovers will no doubt provide yet another early season test of the Wasps' credentials.

Despite carrying weighty expectations borne out of the club's illustrious history rather than squad strength and despite not playing any pre-season matches, the Robins looked strong against a Gateshead side that had won a friendly at Huntington Stadium the week before.

But boss Wilkinson, whose side worked on attack in training this week after keeping an impressive clean sheet on Sunday, said: "We're keeping our feet on the floor. People are offering 33-1 against us doing anything this season, which takes the pressure off a bit."