Rugby league: Evergreen Sterling earns new contract

PAUL STERLING is likely to be the oldest player in Super League next year, his late-season form for Leeds having earned him a new one- season contract at Headingley.

Sterling, who will be 36 next August, slipped out of the picture earlier last season but came back strongly to re-establish himself in the first team and also to play for England in the two internationals against France last month.

The Leeds chief executive, Gary Hetherington, called Sterling, "the Linford Christie of rugby league. His performances have fully justified a new contract."

Sterling's signing comes immediately after Francis Cummins' decision to sign for another three years with Leeds.

Salford have completed their overseas quota by signing the versatile back Jason Webber from Balmain. But Hudson Smith, who also played for Balmain before joining Salford, has moved to Bradford on a three-year deal.

Bradford are to kick off the Super League season on Friday 3 March when they go to St Helens for a replay of this year's Grand Final. The disappearance of Gateshead, on top of the merger of Huddersfield and Sheffield, has left the competition with 12 clubs, who will play each other home and away, plus an extra six games to make a total of 28 fixtures, all of which are announced today. Apart from Easter Monday and games to enable Challenge Cup finalists to catch up on postponed fixtures, there will be no midweek games.