Injured Test pair give Britain hope

Keiron Cunningham has joined the Great Britain squad preparing for Saturday's first Test against New Zealand, with hopes rising that he will be able to play despite pulling out of Wales' match against the Kiwis with a hand injury.

Cunningham withdrew from the Welsh side but trained with the Test team yesterday. His condition will be monitored, but the lack of any call-up for a replacement hooker hints at a quiet confidence that he will be able to play at Blackburn. "I'm pretty confident," said the Great Britain coach, David Waite yesterday. "He trained OK today. There were some collisions and he came through without any dramas."

Waite described as "absolute rot" suggestions that he had pulled Cunningham out of the Welsh game. "At no stage did I say he couldn't play and I only became involved in contacting the Welsh camp after Keiron phoned me at 7.20 in the morning," he said.

Paul Sculthorpe could not train fully yesterday, because of the leg injury that kept him out of Saints' game against the Kiwis and he also will be monitored closely this week.

St Helens, meanwhile, have signed the versatile Australian Test player, Darren Smith on a one-year deal. He will replace the retiring Peter Shiels. Saints' coach, Ian Millward, said that he was "ecstatic" with the deal. "He had one of his best seasons for Queensland and Canterbury in 2002 and will settle quickly into Saints' style of play," he said.

Ivan Cleary, the New Zealand Warriors' full-back who was set to lead the Huddersfield Giants' return to Super League next season, has decided instead to take up a coaching post at the Sydney Roosters.

The new London club, the Skolars, have a difficult baptism in the Buddies National Cup in January, having been drawn in the same pool as Batley, Dewsbury, Keighley and Hunslet.