Leeds coach Bell to hang up his boots

Rugby League

Rugby League

Dean Bell flies into Britain on Saturday as coach, not, as originally thought, player-coach of Leeds.

The former Leeds and Wigan player, whose commitments with the Auckland Warriors finished at the weekend, misses tonight's Stones Centenary Championship match against Warrington but arrives for Sunday's game with St Helens, also at home.

Oldham are to be asked by the Rugby Football League's board of directors to explain why they made 10 changes for Sunday's match at Warrington, which they lost 40-8. Andy Goodway, the Oldham coach and an assistant to England's Phil Larder, put out a vastly different side to the one beaten 44-18 by St Helens days earlier. The RFL chief executive, Maurice Lindsay, said: "We will be asking Oldham to furnish an explanation for consideration by the board."

The Australian Test forward David Fairleigh looks certain to miss the Halifax Centenary World Cup in October. He faces knee surgery.