YORK City Knights boss Dave Woods has admitted Sunday’s sizeable test at Castleford might come a few weeks too early for his charges – but it is one they should relish nonetheless.

This opening pre-season match was only arranged at short notice on Tuesday after both clubs saw festive friendlies wiped out by the weather.

And The Press can reveal the Knights will come up against a stronger Cas side than Tigers boss Terry Matterson had pencilled in for their cancelled Boxing Day challenge against Super League rivals Bradford.

New recruits Richie Mathers, Nick Youngquest, Danny Orr, who returns to the club, and Jacob Emmitt, as well as player of the year Rangi Chase and captain Ryan Hudson, feature in a starting 13 made up entirely of first-teamers.

It is a totally different task from the planned run-out against a team from York’s amateur scene, the Knights having seen the Lee McTigue Memorial charity match against the York Select XIII postponed to later in the year.

But Woods reckoned facing such top-tier stars was an assignment his side should enjoy.

“We know it’s going to be tough but we want to go there and see what the boys can do,” said the Aussie.

“We don’t expect to get a result out of it – we haven’t even trained on the field properly except for a session at the weekend – but we want to enjoy it and we can have a look at how our boys do individually.”

Dringhouses teenager Sam Orange, pictured, who extended his deal at Cas in September, is among eight substitutes on a younger Tigers bench.

Woods, meanwhile, is yet to announce his squad, but it will be predominantly a first-team crew, and be much-changed from the young line-up pencilled in for the Lee McTigue Memorial.

Woods, whose side have other friendlies against Cas reserves, St Helens and Leeds, added: “This test has probably come a few weeks too soon when you consider we haven’t been able to get on the field but it’s something we’re looking forward to.

“Cas will be a bit rusty too, but it’s about us doing what we need to do for ourselves.”

The game is also the Tigers’ first run-out of pre-season.

Full-back Mathers, the former Leeds, Gold Coast Titans, Wigan and England ace who has signed from Warrington, was keen to get going. “I can’t wait to play and have a run around with the boys,” he said. “It’ll be good to have a hit-out – and work the mince pies off.”

He added: “Although you like to win, it’s important to put into practice what we’ve been working on in pre-season, getting the cohesion there and building for bigger things down the track.”

Admission at the turnstiles is £10 for adults and £5 for juniors/concessions. Transfer to the Main Stand is an extra £3.

Tigers: Mathers, Youngquest, Arundel, Thompson, Dixon, Chase, Orr, Emmitt, Hudson, Walker, Holmes, Davies, Milner. Subs: Smith, Orange, Eden, Brierley, Blackmore, Picketts, Harris, Clark.