Reilly joins Rovers' push to qualify for Super League

Malcolm Reilly has returned to the game as part of the new coaching team at Hull Kingston Rovers.

Reilly, who coached Great Britain for more than seven years until 1994, has been named as football manager at Craven Park, after just a few weeks on the sidelines since leaving his job as the assistant coach at Leeds.

His appointment follows the arrival of Martin Hall as head coach after his resignation at Rochdale Hornets. The two will work closely together, although it is anticipated that Reilly, with his vast experience, will take the lead role.

Reilly has also coached Castleford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield, as well as winning a Grand Final in Australia with the Newcastle Knights.

"I was originally approached for a reference, but one thing led to another and here I am," Reilly said. "I wanted to get back into the game and I'm really pleased that Martin will be here with me." Both have been given one-year contracts at Rovers, with a further option if the club fulfil their ambition of winning promotion to the Super League for 2005.

In another change at the club, the former chairman and Great Britain international Phil Lowe has returned to the board as football director.

"We would like to think that people in the game and not just in East Hull will sit up and take notice," the club's chief executive, Nick Halafihi, said of the appointments. "The foundations for a genuine Super League challenge have begun."

The Wigan second-rower Stephen Wild has denied that he could be the next player to leave the club because of salary cap restrictions and insists he will finish the remaining year of his contract at the JJB Stadium.

Widnes have signed Andy White and Neil Liu, both from rugby union backgrounds and both members of the Lancashire Under-16 team.

England's Under-17 Academy side have the opportunity to emulate last season's Under-18s tonight by beating their Australian counterparts. Stuart Wilkinson's side beat the Australian Institute of Sport 28-22 last Friday at the South Leeds Stadium and now face them again at Featherstone.