Fiery prop forward Craig Booth is back in the York Wasps ranks and in contention for Sunday's showdown with Sheffield Eagles.

BACK IN THE NEST: Bustling forward Craig Booth has returned to the Wasps and could be drafted in for tomorrow's Huntington Stadium outing against Sheffield

Booth suffered a groin injury midway through last season and never returned to the club. But this week he has been back in training and a 'flu bug in the camp means he may be thrust straight back into action at Huntington Stadium.

He signed a new contract yesterday, as did highly-rated hooker Gareth Dobson who has re-joined York on loan from Castleford Tigers. Dobson, very impressive during his last spell with the Wasps in 1998, will also come into the reckoning against the newly-formed Eagles.

It has been labelled a "must win" match by Wasps coach Dean Robinson, who may be a notable absentee from the sidelines after coming down with 'flu on Thursday.

After losing their opening two matches, the Wasps coach believes victory tomorrow is essential if they want to stay in touch in the Northern Ford Premiership.

"The message has gone out to the players that this is a must win situation," insisted Robinson. "We can't afford to lose another home fixture. We have to go out and get the result."

He had been hoping for selection problems of the healthy kind after barely having 17 players to call on in last week's defeat at Keighley. But 'flu has hit the squad hard and could still claim more casualties before the game.

Kevin Gray, Leroy McKenzie, Chris Judge and Mick Hagan have all been suffering this week but it is hoped at least some of them will recover sufficiently to play.

Assistant coach John Paterson said: "Most of the squad are sniffling and are in various stages of some sort of cold or 'flu. We expected the Hull contingent to get it because they travel together in the same car - John McCracken had it last week, Kevin Gray had it on Tuesday and Leroy McKenzie had it on Thursday."

If Gray is unavailable, the full back role will most likely go to fit again Andy Preston while Darren Callaghan could take over the goalkicking duties.

Contenders for McKenzie's place on the wing include trialist Carl Paterson, conditioner Dean Thomas, new signing Andrew Lambert and Shaun Austerfield.

However if Judge does not come through, Austerfield could again be forced to line-up in the second row as he did last week.

Definitely out are Andy Precious - unavailable for six weeks through work commitments - and injured trio McCracken, Andy Hill and Rob Lee.

Captain Paul Darley returns after missing the Keighley defeat with 'flu, as does Steve Hill who has recovered from concussion.

Sheffield are very much an unknown quantity having played just one match in their short history. That resulted in a comfortable victory at Lancashire Lynx and Robinson is aware of the quality in their ranks.

Player-coach Mark Aston is ruled out so former York favourite and Eagles vice-captain John Strange switches from full-back to stand-off.

Aston has had two teeth replaced which were knocked out against Lynx and he will be out for up to a month while they set.

Strange, who scored an 80 metre solo try against Lancashire, will partner classy ex-Leeds half-back Gavin Brown. Robinson tried to sign Brown during the close-season but he was out bid by Sheffield.

Another former York player takes Strange's place at full-back. Mick Johnson played for the Wasps from 1995 to 1997 and has joined the Eagles from amateur side Castleford Lock Lane.

Their forwards are packed with power and experience, including 6ft 2in, 18st prop John Bruce from Doncaster, the Freeman brothers Glen and Wayne, ex-Great Britain second rower Mike Jackson and tough tackling loose forward Chris Morley, formerly of St Helens and Salford.

Wasps: (from) Gray, Preston, McKenzie, Lambert, Atkins, Austerfield, Woodcock, Paterson, Cain, Callaghan, Hagan, Booth, Pallister, Dobson, S Hill, Hayes, Judge, Hargrave, Darley.

Eagles: Johnson, Wray, Walker, Cruthers, Williamson, Strange, G Brown, Bruce, Robinson, G Freeman, W Freeman, Jackson, Morley. Subs (from) Summerill, I Brown, J Brown, Larder, Gibson, Wright.

Referee: Alan Bates (Workington)

Kick-off: 3pm.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.