MATCH PREVIEW: WHITEHAVEN (A) - Midlands Hurricanes RLFC

BETFRED CHAMPIONSHIP (ROUND SIX)
Whitehaven RLFC v Midlands Hurricanes
Sunday 8 March 2026 – 3pm KO

Head Coach Mark Dunning’s Canes outfit faced their toughest test of the Championship to date last week, as they welcomed a strong and determined Oldham outfit in what was our last home game for three months – where we will welcome this weekend’s opponents in Whitehaven. Whilst the Roughyeds left Birmingham with a 20-40 win, Mark was overall pleased with the efforts of his lads and the fact that – bar the initial 25 minutes – everyone in a Midlands shirt matched opponents who are widely expected to be in the top quarter of the table come the business end of the season.

This weekend’s opponents are another club with a rich history. Whilst not one of the founding clubs of rugby league, Whitehaven RLFC has been around for just under 80 years having formed just after the Second World War. Rugby league itself in Whitehaven can boast over a century of presence in that part of Cumbria, with Whitehaven Recreation competing in the Cumberland League and Challenge Cup during the early period of the 20th century. Whitehaven’s success in more recent years include winning the Championship in 2005 and League One in 2019, with the latter title coming at the expense of a injury-ridden Coventry Bears side at the “home” of rugby – Webb Ellis Road.

After securing promotion back to the Championship for the 2o20 season, they have had a mixed bag of success in the Second Tier. After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Haven secured a sixth-place finish and a place in the playoffs for the 2021 season, where they would be knocked out in the Elimination Playoff. Subsequent seasons have been more difficult for the Cumbrian outfit, with 10th, 12th and 13th place finishes in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively, and the latter seeing them relegated to League One with bottom-placed side Dewsbury Rams. Whilst Whitehaven continue through a period of consolidation after a turbulent 2024 campaign, anybody travelling to The Ortus REC know that the Cumbrian side – like all Cumbrian sides – will present a tough test over the course of 80 minutes.

Whitehaven’s relegation in 2024 meant the Canes clashed with them three times last season, twice in the league and once in the First Preliminary Round of the 1895 Cup. The Preliminary Round clash saw Midlands earn their first ever win over the Cumbrian side with a comfortable 52-24 victory, and this was followed up towards the middle of the league season with a 38-8 win at the Alexander Stadium. However, the Cumbrian side would ultimately have the last laugh as they would secure a 26-16 win at The Ortus Rec in the closing stages of the season against an out-of-form Canes side that could not deal with the home side’s determination to overcome its own poor run of form at the time.

Whitehaven had an initially rocky start to life back in the Championship, with a close-run defeat to Sheffield (4-11) followed by heavy defeats to Newcastle (6-54), Barrow (0-30) and Keighley (56-14). However, their first win of the Championship season came last week, where a powerful first-half performance saw them overcome an otherwise impressive Rochdale Hornets outfit 20-0 at The Ortus REC. They will no doubt be keen to generate some momentum by securing a second league win in as many weeks. However, they will need to do so without former Head Coach Anthony Murray, who resigned from the club last week to personal circumstances and other commitments. James Newton, a former Haven hooker and current member of the coaching staff, will step in as interim coach for this fixture.

Turning to team selection, Mark Dunning has made two changes to the squad that was announced for the Round Five clash with Oldham last Sunday. Ryan Johnson misses out due to failing his head-injury assessment after scoring against Oldham and Oliver Roberts is out with a groin injury, with Kieran Moran returning to the line-up after representing Scotland against the USA in Vegas. Young utility back Louis Beattie also returns to the fold after missing out on selection last week.

Your www.enjoytravel.com 21-man squad: