Players wait for Trophy hearing

RUGBY LEAGUE Kelvin Skerrett, the Wigan prop, and the Widnes loose-forward, Paul Hulme, will learn their Regal Trophy fates tomorrow night, when they appear before the Rugby Football League disciplinary committee in Leeds, following their dismissals lastweekend.

Any ban would rule them out of this weekend's Trophy semi-finals, when Widnes face Warrington on Saturday, and Wigan take on the holders, Castleford, on Sunday.

Skerrett got his marching orders in the quarter-final victory against St Helens for appearing to throw a punch, while Hulme was shown the red card for an alleged head-butt in his side's defeat of Bradford.

Wigan have been cheered by the news that their injured captain, Shaun Edwards, has not torn a cruciate ligament after all.

Wigan feared the worst when the 28-year-old Great Britain half-back pulled up during the 24-22 Trophy win against St Helens at the weekend.

a scan has cleared Edwards of any major damage, although he has a lot of fluid on the knee, and is still rated as extremely doubtful for the match against Castleford.

"I'm just very relieved there's no long-term damage," said Edwards. "I'm having treatment twice a day and I've not given up hope of playing at the weekend. But if I do play, it will be a bonus."

Va'aiga Tuigamala, who was taken off on a stretcher in the League game at St Helens on Boxing Day with a knee injury, could return against Castleford.

Wales have delayed naming their squad to play England on 1 February until next week, because of the number of English-born players who are asking to be considered under the new rule that allows qualification through a Welsh grandparent.

The Leeds' second row, Richie Eyres, and the St Helens' hooker, Kieron Cunningham, have joined the entire Wigan front row of Skerrett, Martin Hall and Neil Cowie in putting themselves forward.

The Wakefield MP, David Hinchliffe, has urged the Government not to give any grants from the National Lottery to rugby union until the question of discrimination against former rugby league players has been resolved.

Hinchliffe tabled an early-day motion yesterday, deploring the fact that Adrian Spencer, the Cambridge University back, has been banned after it emerged that he had played league as an amateur for London Crusaders, while Mike Catt, who has admitted beingpaid in South Africa, has just been selected for the England team.