VIKINGS get the opportunity to put their patchy Super League form behind them when they entertain Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup on Friday night.

After the disappointing display at Huddersfield last Friday, the challenge that the champions and renowned knock-out specialists bring to Halton Stadium is something they must rise to.

Vikings have a surprisingly good record at home to the Rhinos, and defeated them earlier in this this Super League campaign.

But nonetheless this represents a massive task.

Coach Denis Betts said: “Leeds are a challenge for us because they know how to win, especially the games that need winning; semi finals, Grand Finals, knockout games.

“When they are under pressure and behind on the scoreboard Leeds know how to pull through.

“There is a quality in their side – Richie Myler is playing well, Matt Parcell has been fantastic.

“Across the board Leeds have some outstanding players.

“And they have a dangerous player in Joel Moon, who suits the way Leeds play.”

Vikings again have injury concerns with Pat Ah Van and Danny Craven sitting out after playing through pain.

Betts explained: “Pat came back into the side after being out for a long time – but he has been playing for two weeks with a busted rib because he wants to play.

“He wanted to inject something into the team but has broken himself.”

“Danny Craven played with an injection in his shoulder.

“He has a badly sprung shoulder – he wanted to play last week and pushed himself in training but was unable to overcome the pain during the game.”

Charly Runciman is likely to return.

But in a roll call of other long-term injuries Chris Houston is likely to remain sidelined for another two to three weeks, but is training well.

But Gil Dudson and centre Krisnan Inu are both some eight weeks away, with Chris Dean 12-14 weeks off.

Joe Mellor is not far off a return.

As the top teams begin their break away on the table, Betts wants his players to focus on the week ahead.

He said: “You can get caught up in goals and Million Pound Game, the bottom four, who plays who and who loses.

“But ultimately we have got top look after today which leads into tomorrow and then Friday night.

“The message is don’t think about the bigger picture and get anxious about what is going to happen in two month’s time.

“Let’s just strip it right back – train as hard as we can today and practise as hard as we can with an idea of what we are going to do on Friday night, then do the same again for the next week against St Helens.

“With this group it cannot be about where we sit.

“It is about putting a performance in that gets us out of this hole and this feeling that we have let each other down, and other people, by losing games we should be winning.”