Whitehaven beat Thursday’s deadline to register two new signings ahead of their derby showdown with Workington Town in Blackpool tomorrow.

French forward Ugo Perez and Wakefield prop Anthony Walker have joined the Recreation Ground club on loan deals.

They will be straight into the injury-hit squad for tomorrow’s Summer Bash clash with Town at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road.

Second-rower Perez, 22, is with the French Elite championship club UTC, a feeder to Super League outfit Catalans Dragons, for whom he has played twice. Recognised as a key reserve grade player Perez trains regularly with the Dragons.

Before linking up on a full-time contract with the Dragons last June, Perez had played with St Esteve back-rower Ugo Perez and lock Thibaut Margalet.

A month before signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with Catalans, Perez had made his debut for France A against Serbia.

Prop Walker made his St Helens debut at Bradford in February 2013 and went on to be one of Nathan Brown’s preferred bench forwards until an ankle injury curtailed his run in the squad.

He actually had a handful of games with Whitehaven while on dual registration from St Helens during Dave Woods' time in charge. 

The young forward was capped for Wales in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and scored a try on his debut.

He was allowed to move on loan to Wakefield under Brian Smith and at the end of last season that became permanent as he signed a two-year deal with the Wildcats.

At the time Saints chief executive Mike Rush said: “It’s always hard when a player who has come through the system here leaves the club.

“Anthony is a hard working player but has found chances limited in a squad that has a number of forwards.”

Amanda Hewer, the Whitehaven general manager, said: “There has been an extreme amount of paperwork and it has all been quite fraught especially tying up things with the French RFL and to meet deadlines for the Summer Bash but we got there in the end.

“Once again we have to say a big thanks to our old friend Christophe Jouffret, chief executive with the Dragons. He has played a major part in getting Ugo to Whitehaven.

“Both forwards will stiffen our pack at the weekend and help us over the current injury crisis.”