STILL ALIVE

WARRINGTON Wolves have offered London Broncos winger Rob Smyth a two-year contract.

Coach Darryl Van de Velde is waiting for a reply from the 23-year-old, who finished a month's loan with the Wolves in a try-scoring appearance against Hull FC on Sunday.

With Smyth being under 24 and coming out of contract the Bosman ruling comes into force but Van de Velde has negotiated with London to release their former Wigan player to the Wolves without a transfer fee.

It means the ball is now totally in Smyth's court and he is known to fancy a move back up north.

As reported exclusively in GUARDIAN MIDWEEKSmyth wants a permanent deal with the Wolves but he has still to decide on the terms.

Smyth said after Sunday's win over Hull: "I enjoyed every minute of my month with Warrington and hopefully we'll be able to make it a bit more of a permanent move."

Van de Velde said on Wednesday: "I would have liked to have been able to have secured the signing before Rob went back to the Broncos but he has asked for time to think it over.

"He is a good kid with a great attitude and I want him at the club."

Smyth scored five tries in his four loan games with the Wolves.

The blow of losing Smyth, at least for the time being, has been cancelled out by the return of Mark Forster from his broken arm injury.

Foz, who began his 20-season Testimonial year on Tuesday, has successfully come through two Alliance games and will return to the first team to face St. Helens at Knowsley Road on Sunday, kick-off 6.35pm.

Turn to page 58

Special feature on 20 seasons of the Wire flyer Mark Forster

Continued from back

Foz plays at Saints

Van de Velde said: "Mark has worked hard to get himself fit. He is still not 100 per cent match fit but that will only return with matches under his belt.

"I am prepared to risk him because he has the experience that we need for a big match like this one."

There could be an unexpected boost too. Prop Danny Nutley, who has missed all but nine minutes of the past five games due to knee trouble, trained on Tuesday and if he suffers no reactions in further sessions he is likely to be selected.

Mark Hilton, who bruised his arm and played only five minutes against Hull, is fit and so too is pack man Jerome Guisset, who suffered mild concussion against Hull.

Saints, who fell to a shock defeat at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats last week and lost the Super League leadership in the process, will offer the sternest test to Warrington's rejuvenated form.

Inspirational hooker Keiron Cunningham is a doubt with a medial knee ligament problem. Coach Ian Millward, also likely to be without prop Sonny Nickle, will probably call on Scott Barrow at No.9 rather than continue with Vila Matautia in the role from last week. Centre Paul Newlove is sidelined with a hamstring tear.

Van de Velde said: "Saints will be smarting from their defeat last week which probably isn't timely for us but our confidence is high after three wins on the trot and we are going there to do the job."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.