Rugby League: Hay called up for Tri-Series

THE LEEDS second row forward Andy Hay has become the first player to be added to the Great Britain and Ireland training squad for the Tri- Series against Australia and New Zealand this autumn.

Hay was omitted from the original 35-man squad, which will be reduced to 23 for the trip down under in October, but has been in outstanding form recently, scoring his first senior hat-trick in the win over Bradford last Friday.

The Test coach, Andy Goodway, said that he had spoken to Hay after Leeds' match against Wigan recently and told him that continued good form would earn him a place, while the Rugby League's performance director, Joe Lydon, said that Hay's inclusion should be an inspiration to other players left out of the squad.

Leeds, meanwhile, have confirmed their interest in the Australian Test centre, Steve Renouf, who is out of contract at the Brisbane Broncos at the end of this season, when Leeds will have at least one vacancy on their overseas quota with the retirement of Marc Glanville.

Halifax, engaged in a desperate cost-cutting exercise, have insisted that their approach for Allan Langer, Renouf's team-mate for club and country, is serious. Langer has recently retired from the game, but Halifax believe he would bring more cash in through the turnstiles than he would cost. Langer has already rejected one offer from Salford and the chances of him coming out of retirement are regarded as slim.

The Wigan hooker, Mark Reber, has broken an arm and will be out of action for at least six weeks. That does not necessarily mean that he will be the player to make way for Gavin Clinch on their overseas quota, the club says. Reber suffered the injury in the win at St Helens on Sunday and Wigan are due to confirm the signings of Clinch from Halifax this week.

Huddersfield have also had bad news, with their captain, Danny Russell, breaking his ankle in the victory over Sheffield Eagles at the weekend. He will be out until the end of August.

The Australian prop Phil Adamson has wasted little time on his return home in launching an attack on the St Helens coach, Ellery Hanley.

Adamson was released last week after making just three substitute appearances for Saints. Hanley, he told the Sunday Telegraph in Sydney, had "no personality and no people skills" and ruled the club by fear.

Adamson was the subject of a public wrangle between Hanley and Saints' football manager, Eric Hughes, who signed him last year, and which the player described as "a power play" on Hanley's part.

Hanley has removed the ban on his players talking to the media which was in force for the build-up to the Wigan game.