Jay Chapelhow is looking forward to renewing old friendships with Whitehaven on Sunday.

However, the 24-year-old forward is more motivated by the desire to be playing regularly again for Widnes.

Chapelhow was injured in a warm-up game and just returned to the squad from the interchange bench at Dewsbury last Sunday night.

Widnes born and bred, Chapelhow played ten times on dual registration from the Vikings in 2015 (4) and 2016 (6) with two tries during his second spell.

He says: “I have a lot of respect for Whitehaven and they have some good players. There’ll be some lads still there from my time with the club so it will be good to meet up with them again.

“But our focus is on getting back to winning ways, especially after the disappointment of losing at Dewsbury.

“We didn’t play particularly well and Dewsbury had a game plan which they stuck to right through the 80 minutes.

“Whitehaven came up to the Championship as League One winners and although they haven’t got a point as yet, they will be scrapping for everything and it won’t be an easy game.”

Whitehaven, without a point in their opening four matches, only have York City Knights below them on points differential.

Head coach Gary Charlton said: “We have to re-group and work hard on the training ground. There is ability in our squad and we just have to stick together and believe.

“There are some very good teams in the competition, however, and we have known from the start this was always going to be a challenge.”