England play New Zealand in Denver the following day so players selected for Test duty will be unavailable for their club. Tigers were due to take on Wigan last Sunday, but the game was called off due to snow and ice. Wigan coach Shaun Wane is happy for his side to take on Castleford with an under-strength team due to the international match. The Warriors will almost certainly be without England captain Sean O’Loughlin and fellow internationals George Williams and John Bateman but Wane says that is a price worth paying to play the game on a weekend. Castleford are unlikely to be as badly affected but will be without scrum-half Luke Gale and possibly second rower Mike McMeeken. “I’d rather sacrifice a couple of players than play it midweek,” Wane said. “They will be in the same boat.” Leeds will also be without their England internationals for their rearranged home game against Catalans Dragons, which will be played on Wednesday, June 20. Castleford have still to find a date for their other postponed match against Hull KR at Craven Park, while Wakefield and Widnes have yet to rearrange their match which was abandoned after 26 minutes last Saturday due to a snowstorm.
