Rugby League: Halifax 'Shay bound'

Halifax, the Super League club, have denied reports that they are in talks with their West Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield aimed at basing a merged club at the state-of-the-art McAlpine Stadium.

Halifax announced on Sunday that their match against Oldham was "probably" the last league game at their antiquated Thrum Hall ground, but that, says their chief executive, Nigel Wood, is because their plan to move in with Halifax Town FC at The Shay is still alive, despite repeated delays.

"There is no dialogue between us and Huddersfield," Wood said. "We are going to The Shay. There should be an announcement within 14 days and we should be playing there next season. We are pursuing a future as a stand-alone Super League club. We have had a bad couple of months, but we don't see Huddersfield as the way forward."

A Rugby Football League rescue squad of three arrived at Central Park yesterday to help Wigan through the crisis triggered by the resignation of the club's chairman, Jack Robinson.

The RFL's vice-chairman and finance kingpin, Roy Waudby, along with the finance director, Tony Eagleton, and its legal advisor, Ronnie Teeman, were assessing the situation.

The first tour of the United States by a British representative side is to take place next month when Great Britain Students play three matches there.