Saints fined for understrength team

St Helens have been fined £25,000 for fielding an understrength team during their preparations for the Challenge Cup final.

The Saints' coach, Ian Millward, selected a team without 10 first-team regulars in the Super League match at Bradford a week before the Cup final and even chose to play the latter stages with 12 men.

An independent panel decided last night that the club had been guilty of conduct prejudicial to the game and imposed the punishment ­ one that Saints could opt to appeal.

Hull have been reassured that their winger, Gareth Raynor, has not broken his leg, but they still fear they may lose him to Leicester. Raynor was on crutches after Sunday's win over Salford and ligament damage looks certain to rule him out of Friday night's game at Leeds.

"That means he is unlikely to play another game before he has to make his mind up about Leicester," said his coach, Shaun McRae. "They have made a very substantial offer, which no rugby league club would match, but we are getting closer."

The Salford captain, Bobbie Goulding, says he is in the dark about Warrington's interest in signing him. The Wolves have been on the hunt for a new scrum-half since Matthew Rodwell's decision to retire and Salford say they have rejected one approach.

Salford have had a number of applications, from home and abroad, for their vacant coaching job, but are to continue to advertise the post.

"We would like to have someone in place for the St Helens match on Saturday or, failing that, definitely for next week," said the club's director of rugby, Steve Simms.

The Great Britain management are monitoring the condition of Adrian Morley, whose back injury looks likely to put him out of the Test against Australia in Sydney on 12 July. He joins a list of likely absentees which includes Keiron Cunningham, Sean Long and Paul Anderson, although the Great Britain coach, David Waite, still hopes for some rapid recoveries.

St Helens, already without Cunningham and Long, have suffered a further blow with Paul Newlove out for a month with a leg injury.

David Hodgson is set to agree a contract extension that will keep him at Wigan when his current deal runs out at the end of this season.