Hull sign McMenemy to reinforce forwards

Hull have snapped up the Australian back-rower Shayne McMenemy to help them through their injury problems in the forwards for the rest of the season.

McMenemy was released by Halifax this week after telling the relegation-threatened club that he wanted to leave. He goes straight into Hull's first-team squad and could make his debut at the London Broncos on Saturday.

"He has always played well against us and on occasions when I've watched Halifax," said the Hull coach, Shaun McRae. "He offers us another option, which is important at the moment with the injury problems we have. The deal could be extended if we like him and he likes us."

The 26-year-old, previously with Oldham and Rochdale, does not count on the import quota as he has an EU passport and has played for Ireland.

McMenemy could prove a useful addition during the run-in to the play-offs, because, although Hull are well placed at fourth in Super League, they have been in danger of running out of bodies in the pack, with Jason Smith, Scott Logan, Steve Craven and Warren Jowitt all suffering long-term injuries.

McMenemy is the third signing Hull have announced in a week, following the return of Gareth Raynor from Leicester and the recruitment for next season of the New Zealand hooker, Richard Swain, from Brisbane Broncos.

The St George-Illawarra centre, Mark Gasnier, has issued his strongest denial so far that he has already agreed a move to Wigan. "I'll swear on my mother's life that I honestly haven't signed," he said. "It would take something pretty dramatic, unless they come up with some unbelievable offer."

Gasnier denied that he had been offered a reported £170,000 a season to come to Wigan, who have declared that they want to sign a world-class centre.

The Great Britain coach, David Waite, will name a squad to train for the Ashes series this autumn tomorrow morning, having watched most of the candidates play in the Origin Game at Odsal last night.