SPORTING DIGEST: RUGBY UNION

Paul Hull, the England international full-back who was left out of the side to play Ireland in Dublin, returns to top-class rugby, after five weeks out with an Achilles tendon injury, when he plays for Bristol at Sale on Saturday.

The Orrell lock, Chas Cusani, is set to make a surprise comeback in tomorrow's Courage League First Division game against Leicester at Welford Road. Cusani has not played a senior game since he was sent off against Leicester in the Pilkington Cup semi-final last April.

Wales A have lost both prop forwards for the match against France A on 21 January in Paris. Hugh Williams-Jones, of Llanelli, has pulled out due to his work commitments with the South Wales Police, while Ian Buckett of Swansea has a pulled hamstring. Lyndon Mustoe of Cardiff and Andrew Dibble of Treorchy replace them.

SCOTLAND A (v France B, Glasgow, 20 Jan): R Shepherd (Edinburgh Academicals); H Gilmour (Heriot's FP), S Hastings (Watsonians), B Eriksson (London Scottish), M Appleson (Sale); S Laing (Instonians), G Burns (Stewart's-Melville FP); D Hilton (Bath), M Scott (Orrell), D Herrington (Dundee High School FP), J Richardson (Edinburgh Academicals), D Munro (Glasgow High/Kelvinside), F Wallace (Glasgow High/Kelvinside), S Reid (Boroughmuir), I Smith (Gloucester). Replacements: M Dods (Gala), D Hodg e (Watsonians), K Troup (London Scottish), A Macdonald (Heriot's FP), J Manson (Dundee High School FP), J Hay (Hawick).