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Old rivals clash set to pack a punch
SHEFFIELD Eagles face a grudge match against Featherstone Rovers with a club legend planning their downfall.
In a clash marred by brawls, Rovers delivered a 32-8 knockout in the first round of the play-offs last season.
A player from each side was sent off and four more spent spells in the sin bin in a game where the first punch was thrown in less than a minute.
The rivalry resumes when the clubs meet at Featherstone's newly re-named Bigfellas Stadium, in the Northern Rail Cup Group B game, on Sunday, (3pm).
It doesn't matter that Rovers' coach Daryl Powell and Eagles' Mark Aston are great friends and two of the greatest players to wear the red, white and gold.
"It should be a humdinger," said Aston. "When Feathers-tone knocked us out of the play-offs, it certainly left a sour taste. I've spoken about that with the players in the build up to the game.
"It's a massive game because Rovers are one of the strongest teams in the competition.
"Daryl is a good friend but after the play-off game he was pretty jubilant about the result and rubbed our lads' noses in the dirt by saying he 'was surprised they laid down'.
"I can assure Daryl that won't happen again this time -we're looking forward to it."
Meetings between the clubs developed an edge last season with home wins for both clubs as they battled for a top six Championship finish.
Eagles' prop forward Ryan Hepworth and Rovers' fullback Ian Hardman will sit out Sunday's game after picking up three-match bans in last season's play-off game.
A review of the match video later cost Eagles' captain Jack Howieson a one-game suspension but he's free to play.
Aston is checking on the fitness of back row forward Peter Green and half-back Matty Brooks
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Friday 10 February 2012
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