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Smith ponders Carney's return

Dave Hadfield
Saturday 27 June 2009 00:00 BST
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Brian Carney is set for a return to rugby league after an absence of almost three years after being named in Warrington's squad to play Hull tomorrow.

The 32-year-old Irish winger has been playing rugby union for Munster since representing Great Britain in the league Tri-Nations in 2006. Hull are one of his former clubs, along with Gateshead, Wigan and the Newcastle Knights in Australia.

Carney has agreed terms for the rest of this season with Warrington, but his new coach, Tony Smith, must decide whether to throw him into the action as quickly as this.

To do so, he will have to move one of his incumbent wingers, Chris Riley or Chris Hicks, although a reshuffle is more likely in the absence of Lee Briers, who is still struggling with a hamstring injury. Hull are likely to recall Richard Whiting to their starting line-up.

Today's only Super League match sees Castleford, who broke their losing streak at Wakefield last week, add Chris Feather and Jordan Thompson to their squad to play the Catalan Dragons.

Brent Sherwin is still missing, but could be available to resume his scrum-half duties next week. The Dragons are without Jamal Fakir, who was suspended for two matches this week for a high tackle during last Saturday's defeat by Warrington in Barcelona.

Tomorrow's other games feature Wigan ending a turbulent week by going to Hull KR and Wakefield hosting Harlequins. With Gareth Hock under provisional suspension after returning a positive test for cocaine, Joel Tomkins or Harrison Hansen are likely to replace him in the Wigan second row. Sam Tomkins and George Carmont return to the squad.

The result of the England forward's B sample is not likely to be known until the first week of July, the Rugby League has said.

Quins have Gareth Haggerty back after injury for their trip to Yorkshire, as they try to get over last weekend's thrashing by Leeds.

There are comings and goings in the junior ranks at Leeds, who have allowed two academy players, Tim Scire and Brooke Broughton, to go on a month's loan to crisis-hit Doncaster, but have brought in three teenagers from the French club Carpentras on trial.

Huddersfield have agreed to their reserve scrum-half, Tom Hemingway, joining Leigh on a month's loan. Leigh, who are being linked with a return by Ian Millward to his first English club, had hoped to recruit the former Australian schoolboys half-back Joe Williams, but he has failed to secure a work permit.

Greg Eastwood, the Kiwi Test forward who was supposed to be joining Leeds this year, dedicated his try in the Sydney Bulldogs' 30-18 win over North Queensland to Michael Jackson.

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