Whitehaven won’t be taking Oxford lightly on Sunday, despite having already beaten them 46-14 in the Challenge Cup.

That victory was at the Recreation Ground and was built on a flying start when Haven were 14-0 ahead inside seven minutes.

This weekend, Carl Forster and his men make the long trek south, to take on the side doing best in League One of the non-traditional clubs.

They sit just outside the top-eight but level on points with both Keighley and Workington Town.

Oxford have recently beaten Hunslet and South Wales and were a game away from the League One Cup final, eventually well-beaten at Barrow.

They also had the honour of being the first English club to play in Canada when Toronto Wolfpack staged their opening game on home soil.

The fact that they are on a winning run of two games, and have matches in-hand in which to climb into the top- eight, will underline Forster’s message to his players that Oxford are not to be taken lightly.

Forster said: “We have a big month coming up with matches against Oxford and Gloucestershire All Golds, two recent newcomers to league rugby, and then two fixtures against more familiar opponents York (away) and Doncaster (home).

“That will almost take us to the end of the league programme ahead of the Eights and we are on target to finish in the top three.”

Whitehaven have a big finish to the regulation season as they host Keighley on July 2, visit North Wales a week later and, on July 16, entertain Barrow, a game which could be the shoot-out for second spot behind the Wolfpack.