McRae pledges future to Hull

Shaun McRae has withdrawn his threat to walk out on Hull and says that he will fulfil the remaining two years of his contract.

The director of coaching at The Boulevard, the only man to be employed as a coach throughout the lifetime of Super League, threatened to quit after Hull's 64-10 defeat at St Helens on Friday night.

McRae was fiercely critical of unnamed players and said: "I've got to get rid of the cancer at the club or take myself out of the situation."

After a meeting with the club's board yesterday, however, he announced that he would be staying. "After lengthy and constructive talks I feel that my future and commitment must remain at Hull FC," he said. "I intend to build and strengthen the team until the end of my contract."

Castleford are to release Barrie-Jon Mather and Kyle Warren at the end of the season. Neither player has been offered a contract for 2003.

Mather, who has had four seasons at the club, interrupted by a spell with Sale that saw him win an England cap, may look for a chance to return to rugby union. "After having a shoulder reconstruction, this season has been a bonus for me," he said.

Warren, an Australian back-rower, has been told that his initial one-season contract is not being renewed.

Russian clubs are likely to be invited to compete in the Challenge Cup, following the Rugby League's visit to assess the progress of the game there. The RFL's director of finance, Nigel Wood, watched Tatarstan beat the the United States in front of a 10,000 crowd in Kazan last week. Russia later beat the Americans in Moscow, with 30,000 watching.

"In three to five years, they will be level with France in terms of playing standards and numbers," said Wood, who will also recommend that a representative team from Britain should go to Russia.

France, like the amateur game in Britain a week earlier, called off a round of fixtures at the weekend because of problems over insurance.

Adrian Morley could be ruled out of Great Britain's Test series against New Zealand when he faces the Australian judiciary tomorrow on a charge of tripping during the Sydney Roosters' victory over Cronulla.