Setback for Wigan as Farrell has to fly home

The Great Britain captain, Andy Farrell, is set to miss the start of the Super League season after being forced to return home early from Wigan's training camp in Florida.

The Great Britain captain, Andy Farrell, is set to miss the start of the Super League season after being forced to return home early from Wigan's training camp in Florida.

The Wigan loose forward has been troubled by a knee injury he is thought to have picked up in the Tri-Nations final in November and flew back five days early from Orlando in order to see a specialist.

"He was out training and obviously felt the knee, so it was thought the best thing to do would be to get him back home and get specialist advice," said a Wigan spokesman, Graham Emerson. "We think the injury goes back to the Tri-Nations final. It was thought rest would cure the problem. But that has not been the case, so he's going to see a specialist today."

Farrell, also the captain of Wigan, missed the first four matches of last season after undergoing surgery on his knee, but went on to rediscover his best form and won the Golden Boot as international player of the year in addition to being named Super League Man of Steel.

Elsewhere, the Devon-born hooker or half-back Andrew Henderson, 25, who has joined relegated Castleford Tigers from the Australian club Balmain, has been appointed as captain in succession to Ryan Hudson, who is now at Bradford.