Rugby League: Britain lose Platt for Test

GREAT BRITAIN, with preparations for Sunday's Test in France disrupted by most of the squad being released for matches last night, have lost the cornerstone of their pack, writes Dave Hadfield.

Andy Platt missed Wigan's match at Leeds last night with a knee injury which may need an operation. With only one other prop in the party, Great Britain's coach, Malcolm Reilly, will need another specialist. Karl Harrison, coached by Reilly at Halifax, is a prime candidate.

Sir Peter Yarranton, the former president of the Rugby Football Union who is now chairman of the Sports Council, has spoken out against the RFU's 'discrimination' against Steve Pilgrim, the Wasps and England B player ruled out of union for a year after playing a trial for Leeds.

'I must register the Sports Council view that we are uneasy when we see apparent discrimination,' he says in Open Rugby magazine. 'Frankly, I don't like to see constraints on anybody.'

Britain is to ask for the experimental 10-metre offside rule at the play-the-ball to be made a permanent international law. Club coaches strongly support the rule.

Tony Gordon, the former New Zealand Test coach, arrived yesterday and has set his sights on a First Division future for London Crusaders.

Gordon has a three-year contract and he has already had talks aimed at bringing the Australian internationals, Bob Lindner and Cliff Lyons, to the Crusaders.