St Helens veto Mason transfer to Wigan

The ill-will between two of the game's historic rivals has taken another turn for the worse with St Helens blocking Keith Mason's transfer to Wigan.

The England prop is on loan to Castleford, but is not holding down a first-team place. Wigan, in the middle of a forward crisis, agreed terms to take over his loan, only for Saints to veto the arrangement.

"We can only assume that St Helens still have a problem with Ian Millward," the Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay said. Millward, sacked by Saints midway through last season, is now Wigan's coach, but Saints denied that was a factor.

Saints' coach, Daniel Anderson, says that he will wait until an hour before the kick-off at Hull on Friday to name his replacement at full-back for Paul Wellens, who is to consult a specialist today regarding a fractured eye-socket.

The Great Britain manager Phil Clarke has resigned after five years in the job, after frustration over the lack of priority given to the international game.

The Castleford forward Richard Fa'aoso has a one-game ban for a dangerous tackle and misses Sunday's Huddersfield match.