Turnbull signs

The question is,Is he really good enough for championship rugby?

Turnbull returns for third spell with Eagles

BACK row forward Nick Turnbull has rejoined Sheffield Eagles for his third spell and coach Mark Aston is tempted to hand him an instant call-up.

Turnbull opens up selection options for Aston ahead of the must-win game against Hunslet Hawks.

“Nick has been training with us and is keen to get back involved and is rejoining us,” said Aston. “We haven’t made a call on him playing on Sunday but there’s always a chance - we need to have a look at everybody who is part of the squad.”

It would be a test for Turnbull, who has switched from centre to the pack and has been playing for amateurs Hoyland Vikings, but Aston is confident he will cope.

“Nick’s a big unit and he was always going to end up a back rower or even in the front row – he’s mobile and he’s tough and has a bit of grunt about him. I’m delighted he’s come back.”

Turnbull, 28, from Barnsley, played 87 games for the Eagles between 2002 and 2009. He took a break from the game after the 2005 season returning in 2007 but for the next three seasons played only a handful of games.

Aston is looking for a massive improvement from his team after the 86-6 mauling at Leigh Centurions.

A win over Hunslet at Don Valley Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3pm) would almost certainly book a place in the knockout quarter-finals of the Northern Rail Cup.

Aston said: “We need to win but we need to play well, the boys need to stand up and put the disappointment of last Sunday behind them. It’s about getting a performance and if we do that we’ll get the result.”

Half-backs Kyle Wood and Simon Brown plus second rower Alex Szostak should be back from injury to give the 17 a more balanced look.

Hunslet, like Eagles, go into the game on five points from three games in Pool 2 of the Rail Cup. Both teams have one win but the Hawks have put in two mean defensive performances to gain losing bonus points.