Waite faces anxious night

The Great Britain coach, David Waite, will have fingers, toes and everything else crossed tonight as the members of his squad to face Australia risk injury on the eve of their departure.

Waite admits that the odds are on him losing one or two players before they fly to Sydney tomorrow morning. He will be hoping that does not include his captain, Andy Farrell, who makes his comeback for Wigan against Halifax after recovering from a groin injury, or Keiron Cunningham, who plays his second game for St Helens at Hull since returning from a broken hand.

The Saints coach, Ian Millward, has denied persistent rumours that one player left out of Waite's party because of injury, the country's leading scrum-half Sean Long, is set to return via the bench at The Boulevard tonight.

Leeds have admitted that they are looking for possible replacements for Tonie Carroll, who is linked with a return to Brisbane next year. London's Richie Barnett and the Queensland centre Chris McKenna are the players they have in mind. Carroll plays in the second row for Leeds at home to Warrington tonight.

The League has handed out suspensions totalling 16 games to players involved in a stormy match in the Northern Ford Premiership last month. Doncaster's Dale Cardoza and Chorley's Lance Hamilton have been banned for six matches for running in and striking, while the Doncaster coach, St John Ellis, has been suspended for four games for punching.

The Challenge Cup is to have a new sponsor after the League agreed a three-year deal worth £3.7m with the energy suppliers TXU Energi.