RUGBY LEAGUE: Farrar making Wigan return

WIGAN HAVE welcomed back an old boy from Australia and are also thought to be looking Down Under for a new prop.

The Warriors have appointed their former centre Andrew Farrar to their coaching staff. Farrar, who played in the NRL for Canterbury Bankstown and was involved in four Grand Finals from 1984-1988, was a member of Wigan's Challenge Cup final-winning team in 1993.

He joins a triumvirate of ex-Wigan players on the backroom staff at the JJB Stadium, where the recently-retired Adrian Lam has been appointed to assist Denis Betts. The club have yet to reach a settlement with head coach Mike Gregory, who has been on sick leave since the Challenge Cup final last May and is not expected to return.

Meanwhile, South Sydney have turned down an approach from Wigan to release their captain Bryan Fletcher on the eve of the new NRL season.

St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham will make his comeback after knee surgery in his own testimonial match against Hull at Knowsley Road tonight. The Great Britain international was not expected back until later this month but has made a rapid recovery.

London Broncos coach Tony Rea has named former Canberra Raiders scrum- half Mark McLinden as captain, the fifth overseas player to be made a Super League club captain for the new season.