St Helens chairman accused of improper conduct

The chairman of St Helens, Eamonn McManus, is to be the subject of an official complaint for allegedly dropping his trousers in Salford's VIP lounge after the match last Friday.

The chairman of St Helens, Eamonn McManus, is to be the subject of an official complaint for allegedly dropping his trousers in Salford's VIP lounge after the match last Friday.

McManus, who last month sacked his coach, Ian Millward, for failing to uphold "family values", has been accused of twice lowering his trousers to show a wound in his thigh.

McManus claimed to have done the damage climbing over a rusty fence at The Willows after the match, which Saints won 33-22.

"I told him I didn't think it was appropriate behaviour," said the director of rugby at Salford, Steve Simms, a close friend of Millward, who was sacked by Saints for swearing at three functionaries and has since been appointed as coach at Wigan.

Simms said that a letter of complaint had been sent to St Helens and that one was also likely to be sent to Super League.

A club spokesman said that McManus had refuted Simms's version of events and had put the matter in the hands of his lawyers.

Saints are being linked with the Sydney Roosters' and New Zealand prop, Jason Cayless, who is said to be unhappy with his club's offer of a new contract.

Michael Wainwright, an ever-present for Warrington this season, will be missing for four to six weeks after breaking two fingers.

Hull KR have been fined £2,000 and Doncaster £1,000 for the violence on and off the field in their National League One game last July. Both fines have been suspended, but Doncaster have been ordered to pay a £2,000 fine that was already hanging over them.

The Doncaster coach, St John Ellis, and two of his players have also been fined.

Meanwhile, the Hull KR chairman, Neil Hudgell, has denied that his coach, Harvey Howard, has been suspended for his summary dismissal of Rovers' longest-serving player and Hudgell's close friend, Paul Fletcher.

A meeting this week will decide whether Howard, a former Great Britain prop, should be reinstated or sacked for as-yet unspecified aspects of his behaviour.