Rugby League: Lions appeal over brawl ban

TWO of the four amateur sides left in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup face their moment of truth tonight, with Featherstone Lions anxious to live down their unwanted wild reputation.

The Lions are to have an appeal heard on Monday against a five-year ban from all Cup competitions, imposed after a brawl with Siddall at the end of the recent Yorkshire Cup Final.

Their joint coach, Simon Tuffs, said that the club's recent notoriety was "unfortunate and unfair" and that the players had tried to concentrate on tonight's tie against Hull KR.

The Lions had Rovers watched in their opening First Division fixture last week and have identified the Papua New Guinean stand-off, Stanley Gene, as the principal threat.

Meanwhile, the Cumbrian side, Egremont, take on their professional neighbours, Workington Town, at Whitehaven tonight.

The chairman of Super League, Chris Caisley, and the acting chief executive of the Rugby League, Neil Tunnicliffe, have described their meeting yesterday to discuss potential areas of disagreement as "fruitful''.

Castleford are breathing more easily over their finances after clinching a sponsorship with Clear Sport Nasal Strips.