Rugby League: Simmons sees some light in the gloom

A 42-0 defeat by one of the league's two leading sides has failed to persuade the Hull coach, Royce Simmons, that he needs to recall the three internationals he dropped for that match for the visit of the other pacesetters.

Simmons left the Great Britain players Paul Eastwood, Andy Dannatt and Lee Jackson out of the line-up against Wigan because of their loss of form and does not plan to include them against St Helens tomorrow.

Eastwood is using his enforced break to have minor surgery on his knee, which would rule him out in any event, but Simmons believes that the two Test forwards need a longer break from the first team in order to get back to their best.

The former Australian Test hooker, who has agreed a new one- year contract at Hull and has bids on the table for two prominent transfer-listed players, was not unduly discouraged by Wednesday's scoreline. 'It sounds crazy after we have been beaten 42-0, but there were some good signs in the first half - some indications that we are turning the corner,' Simmons said.

Waiting around that corner tomorrow is a Saints side with their confidence badly dented by a league defeat at Widnes straight after the Challenge Cup exit at Wigan. Saints will also be without three Great Britain players - Alan Hunte, Gary Connolly and Sonny Nickle. Chris Joynt returns from Under-21 duty and the club's latest New Zealander, Ricky Cowan, makes his debut.

Wigan, home to Halifax in a rehearsal for the cup quarter-final at Thrum Hall next week, may be without Denis Betts, who has a mouth injury. Ian Gildart, who lasted just 11 minutes as a substitute at Hull on Wednesday, is out with torn ankle ligaments.

The club have offered only a years' contract to its longest-serving player, Shaun Edwards, whose current deal expires at the end of this season. Last week, Edwards threatened to retire unless a satisfactory offer was forthcoming and may not be mollified by a mere 12-month extension. Jack Robinson, Wigan's chairman, said: 'We cannot commit ourselves to long contracts.'

Oldham will have Darren Abram, signed from Rochdale in exchange for Stuart Cocker and Richard Pachniuk, making his debut alongside Nigel Heslop, the former England rugby union wing, against Carlisle.

Warren Mann, of London Crusaders, is effectively out for the rest of the season after a 'trial by video.' He was cited by Carlisle and banned for 10 matches after being found guilty of foul play resulting in Kevin Pape's broken jaw.