Murphy poised for return to Leigh

The legendary Alex Murphy is set for a surprising fifth stint at promotion-chasing Leigh following the sacking yesterday of Paul Terzis.

Murphy, now 64, is likely to be announced today as the club's new director of rugby after four directors flew to see him on holiday in the South of France. Leigh have already appointed Tommy Martyn and Norman Turley as assistant coaches to work under Murphy, after deciding that Terzis, despite leading them to two Grand Finals in his three-and-a-half years in charge, is not the man to take them into Super League.

"I'm bound to be disappointed," Terzis said. "It's not a decision I understand, but I have to take it on the chin. I'm free now to look around at other possibilities."

The Australian has been linked with the assistant coach's job at St Helens, working under his predecessor at Leigh, Ian Millward, and could also be in the frame at Wakefield Trinity, if they do not renew Shane McNally's contract.

The Welsh coach, Neil Kelly, will consider the veterans Allan Bateman, Kevin Ellis and John Devereux for Wales' matches this autumn. The three former league internationals have returned to union, but are also playing for Bridgend Blue Bulls in the RL Conference Grand Final against Carlisle on Sunday. Ellis, the 38-year-old Bridgend player-coach, said: "We hope to use this as our chance to show Neil that we could do a job for him."

Kelly will study a video of the Final with a view to drafting the trio into his squad to play Russia, England A and even Australia.