Plan to embrace French
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Your support makes all the difference.Super League clubs are to consider introducing a midseason competition involving French teams to replace the extra fixtures that flesh out the calendar. The Rugby League's implementation board will today debate a proposal from St Helens for a new tournament to occupy a similar position in the season to the old Regal Trophy.
"We need to try something different,'' said Saints' chief executive, Brian Kelly. "We don't want to keep playing those extra Super League fixtures. By the time you've played Wigan three times, people are getting sick of it.''
At present, clubs play each other home and away, plus six extra games to comprise a total of 28. One alternative is that the 12 Super League clubs should be divided into four groups, with a French side or possibly in one case a South African team, in each of them. They would play in League competitions with the four winners going into semi-finals and the final. "There are some good teams in France now, so why not try it,'' said Kelly, who believes he has support from other Super League clubs.
The implementation board is also working on expanding the World Club Challenge to include the leading three or four clubs from Britain and Australia, instead of just the champions as at present.
Bradford have added Lee Radford and Jamie Langley to the squad that beat Newcastle Knights in the World Club Challenge for the Challenge Cup tie against Leeds tomorrow, a match which their captain, Robbie Paul, says will be more difficult than winning the world title. Langley, who has yet to make his first-team debut, was included in a development squad of outstanding young talent named by the Great Britain coach, David Waite, last week.
The Scottish centre, Iain Higgins, has rejoined the London Broncos, three years after leaving for Hunslet. The Cambridge University graduate attended the Broncos' training camp in Australia last month and appeared as a substitute in their defeat by the Canberra Raiders. He has been rewarded with a three-month contract during which to show that he has something to offer in Super League. "I hope he makes the most of every opportunity that comes his way,'' said the Broncos coach, Tony Rea. "Like all the players, he certainly applied himself well at the Australian training camp.''
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