Farrell to lead Great Britain sevens squad

Mike Gregory and Andy Farrell will lead Great Britain's quest to win the World Sevens in Sydney next month. Farrell will become captain of the short-sided squad as well as the full national team, with the former Great Britain coach, Gregory, promoted to assistant at Wigan this week, coaching the side, following his success with the England Academy against the Australian Schoolboys.

The 10-man squad also includes four players – Lee Gilmour, Richard Horne, Danny Orr and Keith Senior – who played against New Zealand in the Test series in November, plus Wakefield's Gareth Ellis, who was player of the tour on England A's trip to the South Pacific at the same time, and the St Helens winger, Anthony Stewart. The others to gain the nod are Halifax's 19-year-old back-rower, Andrew Brocklehurst, the Widnes hooker, Phil Cantillon, and Warrington's Rob Smyth, a versatile back and useful back-up goalkicker.

The selectors have named only one player per club, with only promoted Huddersfield and London Broncos not having a representative at the tournament, which will include all 15 teams from Australia's National Rugby League, plus representative teams from around the world. The party will fly out on 26 January, returning on 4 February, four days before Super League clubs enter the Challenge Cup.

The Great Britain coach, David Waite, said that, within the limits of the selection criteria, Britain would be sending a squad that was "both quality and well-balanced. It will be well capable of testing any team competing in the tournament."

The Sevens are being revived after a six-year break. The previous British high spot was Wigan's victory in 1992.

Salford are sending a spying mission to France this weekend to check out their Challenge Cup opponents, Toulouse. Their director of rugby, Steve Simms, and their coach, Karl Harrison, will watch them play Villeneuve, who like Toulouse are candidates for a Super League place next year.

Halifax have parted company with Brett Goldspink, who is expected to take up a player-coach role in his native Australia. The 31-year-old prop has 12 months left on his contract, but has agreed a settlement. Goldspink's countryman, the winger Robbie Beckett, has also severed his links with the club despite having a year left on his contract.

London have signed Bradford's 19-year-old winger, Nicky Johnson, on a two-month loan. The former Great Britain Academy player becomes the latest in a series of Bulls players to guest in the capital, with the Broncos also negotiating with Tom Haughey, recently released by Wakefield.

Leeds have named the Great Britain prop, Barrie McDermott, as club captain, to work alongside the recently appointed team captain, Kevin Sinfield. The move continues to marginalise Francis Cummins, who combined the roles last season and whose position at full-back could come under threat following the signing of Gary Connolly.

Widnes are to play a part-contact practice match against the Sydney City Roosters on 14 February.