St George coach to miss Challenge

St George-Illawarra are preparing for Sunday's World Club Challenge against Wigan without their coach, Wayne Bennett.

Bennett has flown home to Australia because his mother-in-law is seriously ill, leaving his assistant Steve Price in charge at the DW Stadium. "It is important that I am with my family at this difficult time," he said. "I'm happy with the team's preparation and I'm confident they will put up a quality performance."

The St George captain, Ben Hornby, said that the team's thoughts were with their coach. "Naturally, we would like to have Wayne with us on Sunday, but we understand," he said.

There is speculation Bennett will be back at Brisbane next year, following the Broncos' sacking of Ivan Henjak this week. Price is a backroom man with the Dragons who has worked his way through the coaching ranks at the club.

The Leeds captain, Kevin Sinfield, has agreed a new four-year contract that will keep him at his only professional club until he is 34. "We have something special at Leeds and it is not something you can put a price or a transfer fee on," he said.