Campion signed up as Wolves sharpen teeth

Warrington and Castleford have both strengthened their prospects for next season on the eve of tonight's clash at The Jungle.

Warrington and Castleford have both strengthened their prospects for next season on the eve of tonight's clash at The Jungle.

The Wolves, still stinging from their defeat last week by Super League's bottom club, Huddersfield-Sheffield, have signed Brisbane's Kevin Campion on a one-year contract with a one-year option.

Campion, aged 29, is a noted defender who is expected to add some much-needed steel to the squad. "He has a good work ethic and tops the tackle count in most games for the Broncos," said the Warrington coach, Darryl Van de Velde.

Castleford, boasting the top five place that has eluded the Wolves, have secured the services of Barrie-Jon Mather and Lee Harland until the end of the 2002 season.

Mather, who played rugby union for Sale last season, was thought likely to return to that code after the end of his current contract on 31 August, but he has now pledged his future to the code in which he originally made his name at Wigan.

Harland, a back row forward, has been with the club for five years and was a target for several other Super League clubs.

For tonight's match, Castleford are still without the suspended Dean Sampson and the injured Aaron Raper, while Warrington add Tawera Nikau, Danny Nutley and Toa Kohe-Love to the side humiliated last week.

Van de Velde also hopes to add Parramatta's New Zealand international centre David Kidwell to his squad for next year.

David Waite, the deposed coach at Australian club St George-Illawarra, has been confirmed as the Rugby League's international coaching consultant on a short-term contract taking him to the end of the Lincoln World Cup on 25 November.

His appointment has been criticised, but the vice-chairman of the RFL, Chris Caisley, said: "We've undoubtedly found a man of high quality and his influence will greatly improve our World Cup prospects."

Waite will help the coaches of the four home nations, but, although he is widely expected to be given a future role with the Great Britain team, his status after the end of November remains undecided.

Adrian Lam, the Sydney Roosters' scrum-half and captain, is a step closer to joining Wigan after his Australian club decided to release him from the remaining year of his contract.

Lam agreed terms with Wigan some time ago, but his arrival was dependent on a chain of events, including the placing of the current Wigan scrum-half, Willie Peters, with an Australian club. He is expected to join St George-Illawarra.