Farrell heads quartet of British players honoured in World selection

The rising status of British rugby league is reflected by the selection of a record four players in the annual World XIII.

Andy Farrell, Paul Sculthorpe, Stuart Fielden and Keith Senior – all of whom shone in the autumn Test series against New Zealand – have won places in the line-up, which was voted for by an international poll among journalists assembled by Rugby League World magazine. Last year only Keiron Cunningham was deemed worthy of inclusion.

Australia still dominate the side, with six players named – one of whom, Hazem El Masri, also plays for Lebanon – while New Zealand have three, including their scrum-half and captain, Stacey Jones, who has also won the Golden Boot, awarded annually to the player adjudged the world's best.

The newly-inaugurated Golden Ball, for the best player from countries outside the code's mainstream, has gone to Russia's Robert Illyasov, who is expected to play for Lokomotiv Moscow in their Challenge Cup tie at Leigh on 26 January.

Bradford Bulls have completed the signing of Karl Pratt, 22, the Great Britain winger declared a free agent last week after being told he had no future at Leeds.

London Broncos will try in the new year to unearth a player for the future through a rugby league equivalent of the various televised contests for would-be pop stars. The club hopes that the competition, to be known as Prop Star, will attract 2,000 aspiring players to have their potential assessed.