HAVING equalled the consecutive victories record of their 1982 Championship-winning side and 1986 Second Division champions, Leigh turn their attention to Sheffield Eagles.

The Owlerton Greyhound Stadium is the venue for their next Kingstone Press Championship fixture.

Leigh finished against Doncaster with their interchange options restricted to one man after Adam Higson, Jamie Acton and Matthew Sarsfield all left the field with injury, but Centurions boss Paul Rowley remains upbeat.

“There will be changes,” he said. “We will have Sean Penkywicz available again and that rest will have done him good. We’ll check on the lads that picked up knocks but we’ve got no issue with that. I’m certainly not sat here worrying.

“Obviously we’d like everyone fit but this means that some people will be sniffing blood and sensing an opportunity. Someone else’s time will come and they will either take it or not.

“That’s all about picking the right personnel in your squad and I think we’ve got that. They are all determined, they all work hard.”

Despite an inconsistent start to a season, Rowley holds Eagles’ backline in particularly high esteem.

“We say every week how tough it is going to be, but it genuinely is that way,” he added. “We could look at 26 match previews and I say something similar, but that is the standard of the competition both at the top and bottom.

“Sheffield have won the Grand Final for two years running. They have always been a tough team and are one of the stand-out teams of the last few years.

“When you throw into the mix their new facilities at Owlerton, they just add to the difficulties you get when facing Sheffield.”

Rowley continued: “Their backline alone won’t need asking twice if offered any opportunities. It’s a Super League backline and they have even strengthened with pressure from loanee Jordan Burke and a couple of lads from Salford.

“They have strengthened their forwards as well with the recruitment of Tom Lillycrop from Dewsbury who is a tough campaigner. They are a good side, well coached and they have had a stable side with a lot of continuity.

“They know the DNA of the club and have bought into it. We are going to have to be pretty good.”

Following a series of media statements to emanate from Featherstone Rovers, Rowley feels the pressure is off anyone facing Rovers over the remainder of the year.

“There is no pressure on anyone in the league apart from Featherstone because they have said that they won’t lose another game including defeating Leigh,” he added. “We can all relax and admire Featherstone!”

Centurions have named their new chairman, who takes over John Roddy. Fifty year-old Norris Biomedical Ltd owner Mike Norris steps up having kept a close eye on the finances of the club since the current board of directors took over one year ago.

Norris said: “It gives me great pleasure to take the helm and continue to guide our team to achieve the goal we set ourselves 12 months ago."