Rugby League: Mcnamara Could Join Gb Staff

Tony Smith begins his new life as the Great Britain coach who also happens to be in charge of Leeds tonight with a Yorkshire derby against a Bradford Bulls team coached by the man who could easily turn out to be his national assistant.

Steve McNamara, who took over at Odsal when Brian Noble moved to Wigan after last year's Easter programme, has been regarded as one of the game's brightest young coaching talents since he started working under Smith in the last years of his playing career with Huddersfield.

That makes him an obvious favourite to be involved in the support staff that Smith will shortly appoint for this autumn's home series against New Zealand followed by next year's World Cup. "I'll definitely be appointing British coaches to help me, although it's too early to name names," the Australian said when he took the job. It could be one of his most problematic tasks as contenders such as Salford's Karl Harrison, Warrington's Paul Cullen, Huddersfield's Jon Sharp and Smith's former Leeds assistant Brian McDermott might well take umbrage if they are overlooked.

McNamara, who welcomed Smith's appointment last week, has been reluctant to discuss his prospects of promotion to the national set-up but the Bulls' position at the top of the Super League table cannot do his chances any harm.

Bradford's chances of maintaining that position were dealt a blow by the loss of Shontayne Hape, the New Zealand centre who has been their most potent attacking threat for the past two years, with a serious knee injury in their surprise home defeat by the Catalans Dragons two weeks ago. But Lesley Vainikolo and Terry Newton, who were both injured in last Friday's Challenge Cup win against Castleford, have been included in an 18-man squad.

Leeds, who humiliated the Bulls 30-0 at Odsal last year and could displace them at the top tonight, can welcome back Brent Webb, Keith Senior, Gareth Ellis and Jamie Peacock after they were rested in their cup win against Workington last weekend.

Widnes and Leigh play tonight in the first National League game live on Sky, though it should not be risked by the squeamish after their last match, in the Northern Rail Cup, led to four players being suspended due to an ugly brawl.