Rugby League: McCurrie back in his old code with Warrington after parting with union
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Your support makes all the difference.Steve McCurrie, the international forward who left the game to join Bedford, is returning to rugby league with Warrington.
McCurrie, who has played for both England and Great Britain as well as captaining the Under-21 international side, joined the ambitious union club last season, but is now being allowed to leave and resume his career in his original code.
At Bedford, McCurrie played centre inside his former Widnes team-mate, Martin Offiah - who has also returned to league - but is likely to be used in the back row of an extensively rebuilt Warrington pack next season.
The Warrington coach, Darryl Van de Velde, described it as "one of the major close season signings in the whole game. He is terrifically strong and desperate to get back into league.''
The club, who have already made four other major signings in the forwards, hope to announce the capture of another prominent Australian within the next few days.
One player who will not now be moving in the foreseeable future is the St Helens and Great Britain winger, Anthony Sullivan, who has asked to come off the transfer list.
"The club has assured me that I have a future here and that's what I wanted to hear," said Sullivan, who was Saints' player of the year and played in the first Test against Australia in November.
Saints' chief executive, David Howes, said that the club was delighted that Sullivan would be staying, unlike several of his team-mates, who have already moved on this winter.
"He became unsettled and there was some interest from rugby union, but we have explained how we are going to rebuild and maintain our challenge for trophies," Howes said.
The Wigan coach, John Monie, is hoping to sign an Australian centre to complete his squad for next season, but has ruled out a move for the Test player, Paul McGregor. "He would be great, but he is under contract at Illawarra for another two years," he said. "We are looking around for who else might be available.''
Monie has also ruled out any prospect of Henry Paul moving to the London Broncos. "There is no chance," Monie said. "I have spoken to Henry and told him that he is Wigan's number six until he loses the job.''
The Sheffield Eagles utility forward, Darren Turner, has agreed an 18- month extension to his contract that will keep him at the club until 2000.
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