Betts available despite dismissal

RUGBY LEAGUE : The Wigan and Great Britain second-row forward, Denis Betts, has been cleared for the key holiday games against St Helens on Boxing Day and Warrington on New Year's Day after escaping suspension.

Betts was sent off for the first time in his career for a high tackle at Hull on Sunday, but a disciplinary hearing last night ruled that his dismissal was sufficient punishment.

He has, however, been fined £150 for "aggressive behaviour" towards the referee, Russell Smith, after he was shown the red card for what he and his team-mates insisted was an innocuous tackle on the Hull loose-forward, Jez Cassidy.

One of those team-mates, Va'aiga Tuigamala, has further complicated the question of whether he will play for New Zealand or Western Samoa in next year's Centenary World Cup by revealing that he is also considering an approach to play for Tonga, for whom he also qualifies through parentage.

Salford have denied having signed the Canterbury-Bankstown full-back, Scott Wilson, as a replacement for Scott Mahon when he returns to Australia next month.

The Warrington captain, Greg Mackey, is hopeful of maintaining a continuous run of appearances that is now within 10 of the club record by recovering from a shoulder injury in time to play against Widnes on Boxing Day. Mackey has not missed a competitivefirst-team match for any of his clubs in Britain or Australia since 1987.

The League and the BBC have chosen Leeds' Regal Trophy quarter-final against the holders, Castleford, as the televised match on 7 January. The other matches of the round will be played the following day.