Sunday's visitors to the Recreation Ground will have happy memories of their last trip to west Cumbria.

Gloucestershire All Golds won 30-22 at Derwent Park on April 1 to see off Workington Town in the League One Cup competition.

That success had been achieved a week after they had crashed 54-22 at Town in a League One fixture, but two months on they share eighth place in the table with Workington and three other teams.

The All Golds will actually visit Whitehaven on the back of another half-century mauling, beaten 56-10 at home by Newcastle Thunder on Sunday.

It was a lethargic showing with the side looking tired, if not physically then mentally, right from the off.

Gloucestershire will have three members of their regular squad missing next month when they are involved in the Students World Cup which is being staged in Australia.

Brad Kislingbury, Ben Stead and Harry Kidd were all involved in the heavy defeat by Thunder, while a fourth – youngster James Mason – is also involved in the tournament. They will be in the party travelling to west Cumbria at the weekend.

Anthony Murray, the former Barrow coach, is now assistant with the All Golds and has been singing the praises of the quartet.

“They are young, talented players so you have to accept that you will lose them at times when representative honours come along in a season," said Murray.

“It means they will be away for a month but that will give opportunities to other young players attached to the University.

"We look forward to being able to blood them in League One."

Whitehaven, however, will be looking to collect another two points as they continue their pursuit of hot title favourites Toronto Wolfpack.