Robinson back to old code for challenge

Sale Sharks are to take on the Super League champions St Helens in a cross-code challenge at Knowsley Road on Monday 27 January.

The match, which will bring back memories of the 1996 challenge between league's Wigan and union's Bath, will consist of 40 minutes of each code, with the scores combined to determine the winner.

The Sale and England winger Jason Robinson will be looking to reverse the league code's triumph last time, when he helped Wigan win 82-6 at Maine Road, Manchester, before they went down 44-19 in the rematch at Twickenham. They also famously went on to lift the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham.

Robinson, a huge success in both codes, said: "Knowsley Road was a happy hunting ground for me in my Wigan days and it will be great to go back for this unique game.

"I have spent two years learning to let go of the ball when tackled so I will have to remember to hang onto it during the rugby league part of the match. It promises to be a great night for the fans."

Both clubs have promised to field their strongest possible sides and St Helens, who will face one of their former players, the forward Apollo Perelini, have enlisted the assistance of Gary French, a former hooker with Bath and London Welsh, to assist coach Ian Millward, who said: "It should be a great challenge and all my players are very keen on it.

"We're going to take it very seriously. It will show which players are adaptable to both codes and maybe we can look at a few rugby union players. It's going to be very exciting."