WOLVES duo Kevin Penny and Steve Pickersgill have signed for bitter rivals Widnes Vikings in month-long loan deals.

The pair have seen first-team chances limited this year and link up with former mentor Paul Cullen at the Stobart Stadium Halton.

Both players will go straight into contention for Vikings' home Co-operative Championship clash with Gateshead Thunder on Saturday, kick off 6pm.

Penny's departure is the most surprising, the winger having been a first-team regular since bursting onto the scene with 13 tries in 13 games at the end of the 2007 season.

The 21-year-old also touched down 13 times last year, this time in 24 games, to finish third in the club's try-scoring charts.

But despite starting Wolves' season opener against St Helens, Penny has found himself out of favour this term, making only one more Super League appearance, in the 28-6 defeat to Castleford last month.

Penny was even overlooked for last week's 18-16 win at Hull FC, with Warrington missing three regular backs, with centre Chris Bridge playing on the wing instead.

Since breaking into Wolves' Super League squad in 2005, Pickersgill has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular.

His highest number of appearances came in 2007 when he featured 14 times, 13 off the bench, but his 2008 campaign was hampered by knee reconstruction surgery.

The 23-year-old prop forward has played three times this year, all as a substitute, but has not been involved since the 60-8 defeat at Harlequins in March.

Cullen, who gave both players their break during his time as Wolves coach, said: "I’ve worked with both Steve and Kevin at close hand and I’m sure they will be great additions to our squad."