St Helens hope to beat weather

St Helens are confident they can beat the worst of the weather and open Langtree Park tonight.

The new ground does not have under-soil heating but the pitch has been covered and hot air has been pumped in underneath. Saints say they are "pretty confident" the game against Salford will go ahead.

The side will be led out by Tom van Vollenhoven, their great South African winger of the 1960s; Salford will have an equally eminent figure, David Watkins, leading them on to the turf of the £20m, 18,000-capacity arena on the site of an old glassworks. With 11,000 season tickets sold, a full house seems guaranteed.