Rugby League: Fiasco factor will surface if Sailor deal founders

Wigan announced their intention to be the leading team in the world once more by celebrating the arrival of Wendell Sailor - even though he is not due to play for them until next year.

The club and the Australian international have agreed a two-year deal that will bring Sailor to Central Park in 1999. The fact that nothing is yet signed, however, will see doubts harboured that his voyage might yet be cancelled.

This is an unusual deal in every way. Sailor, only 23 and an established Test star, is under contract to the Brisbane Broncos for the coming season.

After that, his contract with Australian Super League gives the Broncos a further option on his services, with a 10 per cent pay rise.

That clearly does not appeal to Sailor, who flew to Britain at the weekend to talk to interested parties, soon finding that Wigan - funded by the Wigan Athletic chairman, Dave Whelan - were right at the front of the queue.

"I've always expressed a keenness to play in the UK and now is the right time to make the move," said Sailor. "I'm extremely impressed with Wigan. They are a club very much like the Broncos."

It is the attitude of the Broncos that will now be interesting. Sailor said that he had not consulted them before flying across the world in search of a new club and could not sign a Wigan contract until he had returned to Australia and talked to them.

Brisbane could still make the move difficult for him. "But my impression is that, when they see that I don't want to play for them any more, they won't stand in my way," he said. "I don't think they are the sort of club who will want to go to court over this."

The other possibility is that the Broncos might follow the example of other Australian clubs, who have traditionally disliked having players around who are committed elsewhere.

It is not inconceivable that they might tell him to pack his bags now. That would delight Wigan, but would give them a problem as well, because all their five overseas import slots are full for this season.

Whenever he does drop anchor in Wigan, Sailor will be the biggest signing from Australia since the likes of Peter Sterling, Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga and Brett Kenny played in Britain in the mid-80s. The difference is that all those players were short-term, loan signings, whereas Sailor wants to commit two years at least to a country where he has enjoyed two Australian tours.

On a day when Wigan also announced the appointment of their former player, Phil Clarke, as a director and prospective chief executive, their chairman, Mike Nolan, described Sailor's signing as demonstrating "how committed the board is to making Wigan once again the best rugby league team in the world. It is a fantastic move for Wigan."

It was significant that Super League itself was represented at a club press conference.

"Wendell Sailor is the Ronaldo of rugby league," said its chief executive, Colin Myler. "After some of the bad publicity we have had, Wendell deciding to play over here shows that Super League is alive and well."

It may be pitching it a little high to call it, as Wigan did yesterday, the biggest rugby league transfer of all time. It is among the more notable, though. What Wigan and the game in general must hope is that nothing happens to turn it into one of the game's biggest fiascos.