League Council approves third national division
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Your support makes all the difference.The professional game will once more split into three divisions next season following the decision by the Rugby League Council to approve the formation of National Leagues One and Two.
The 18 existing clubs in the Northern Ford Premiership, plus York and North London Skolars, will form the two divisions. The nine clubs in the NFP play-offs will automatically qualify for National League One, with the other place to be allocated through a play-off involving the next four clubs, the final of which will be played as a curtain raiser to the NFP grand final in October.
The Council agreed to admit the London side and re-admit York, who folded earlier this year, provided they can prove they have sufficient working capital. Two clubs, Workington and Hunslet, voted against the second team in the capital.
Super League clubs are examining ways of reducing their overseas quota from 2004 onwards. The League is to tell New Zealand that it does not want to go there to play a one-off test there next summer as envisaged in the current international calendar. Great Britain's foray to Australia last month ended in a record test defeat.
Salford have released the former Great Britain scrum-half Bobbie Goulding from the remainder of his contract, freeing him to join Leigh in their push for promotion to Super League.
Leigh will be the eighth British club of Goulding's turbulent career, but they believe he can give them the edge to snatch a grand final victory from the division's leaders, Huddersfield. His initial contract is for the rest of this season, with any further deal dependent on Leigh winning promotion.
The Australian club, Wests Tigers, have ended their search for a new coach for next season by appointing the vastly experienced Tim Sheens, who has accepted the job turned down by St Helens' Ian Millward two weeks ago. Sheen says that he will look towards Britain to try and strengthen his side, with David Furner, who has been told by Wigan that he is not being offered a contract for next season, a likely target.
Furner, who has been in a rich vein of form since being told that he was being sacrificed because of financial constraints, could also interest Hull.
Wakefield Trinity expect to announce their new coach today, with Leeds' Australian forward, Adrian Vowles, emerging as a surprise candidate.
The 31-year-old Vowles, the 2000 Man of Steel, was thought to be having talks with the Wildcats yesterday about joining their backroom staff.
Vowles has made 20 appearances for the Rhinos since ending his five-year spell at Castleford at the end of last season and would need to secure a release from the Headingley club to take up a position of player-coach.
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