Bradford Bulls will be lacking star Kiwi duo Robbie and Henry Paul for the testing derby clash with Halifax at Odsal later this month.

The half-back pairing have been named in the New Zealand squad for the Anzac Day Test against Australia in Sydney on Friday, April 23 just hours before their Bulls colleagues line up against the Blue Sox in a match shown live by Sky Sports.

But coach Matthew Elliott said: "Robbie and Henry have played in the last four Tests for the Kiwis so it is no great surprise. Players of that quality will be missed but I have confidence that we have the squad to cover for them."

The brothers will head Down Under soon after the Bulls visit to Warrington on Sunday, April 18 to join up with the New Zealand squad but will be back in the country in good time to prepare for the game at Castleford on Monday, May 3.

Meanwhile backs Tevita Vaikona and Mick Withers are the main injury doubts as the Bulls look to recover from their Knowsley Road nightmare.

Both players missed the 58-14 drubbing against St Helens with shoulder trouble and are still worries but Elliott will know more about their chances after further assessments at training today.

"We have had some conflicting advice on Tevita's injury but he has special healing powers and I am hoping he will be OK.

"Mick's is a little more complicated in that a scan has revealed his injury is being aggravated by damage to his top rib which is giving him a pain in the neck."

But Elliott had better news on Paul Anderson (chest) and Stuart Spruce (knee) who were also missing on Monday.

He expects them both to be declared fit while David Boyle and Jeremy Donougher are set for recalls after being taken out of the firing line against Saints. Elliott has expressed sympathy for youngsters Leon Pryce and Lee Radford who were given their first starts of the season against Ellery Hanley's men.

"It was not a great day to bring them in but I thought they did pretty well in the circumstances.

"There were some things beyond our control but I thought we let ourselves down in certain areas and that did not help the youngsters at all.

"But it also underlined that against the top sides like Leeds, Wigan and Saints you need your best players on the field. Monday's was the most inexperienced side we have fielded for a long time."

The Bulls under-21 side are in Alliance action at Wakefield Trinity tonight (7.30).

Free-scoring centre Michael Eagar has put the smile back on the faces of Castleford after helping them beat Huddersfield 36-14 to move within striking distance of leaders St Helens. The Australian centre Eagar led the way with his fifth try in six days.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.