Widnes are benchmark, says Hood

Widnes have a proud history which includes six Challenge Cup wins

Gateshead Thunder head coach Chris Hood believes Saturday's Northern Rail Cup trip to Widnes represents a chance to evaluate the club's recent progress.

Thunder will face prestigious clubs including Widnes, Halifax and Leigh in the Championship and Hood is excited by the prospect of meeting them.

"Widnes are the benchmark this year," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We're going to see what the standard is and it's going to be a massive night for the club."

Last season's promotion was a huge occasion for Thunder, whose brief taste of Super League in the late 1990s almost folded the club.

At the same time Widnes, who had pushed hard for a franchise at the top table of rugby league, were denied in favour of Salford and Celtic Crusaders.

And Hood admits a club the size of the Vikings remains a huge draw competitively, despite their current status.

"It's hard for people who aren't from a rugby league background to understand what it means to go to Widnes," he said.

"For us to go into their back garden and to see the on-field and off-field of what for all intents and purposes is a Super League club is huge for us.

"We haven't had the best of the last 10 years and we haven't had the chance to get out and play the big clubs, the clubs with the prestigious histories.

"Widnes were cup kings so for the club and the fans to go there and be involved in top rugby is something we're not taking for granted. We want to keep doing it, but we're going to enjoy it."

Widnes' history includes three Championships, seven Premierships, six Challenge Cups and a European Champions/World Club Challenge double in 1989-90.

Most recently the Vikings won the Northern Rail Cup in 2007, beating Whitehaven in the final.