Quins Chairman Eyes Wigan

Ian Lenagan, the businessman and theatre producer who saved professional rugby league in London when he became the chairman of the new Harlequins club two years ago, has emerged as a strong contender to buy a controlling interest in Wigan from Dave Whelan.

Whelan revealed on Monday, when he announced that Wigan's current chairman Maurice Lindsay would resign at the end of the season, that he was considering a takeover bid.

It is thought that Lenagan, who was born in Wigan before moving south to found the successful software company WorkPlace Systems and now owns the Sports Cafe chain, is leading one of at least two consortiums that have expressed an interest, although he has refused to confirm or deny this interest. The Rugby Football League was vague and evasive yesterday when asked whether he could maintain an interest in Harlequins even if he took over at Wigan.

Leon Pryce will miss the next three St Helens matches after pleading guilty to ungentlemanly conduct in last Saturday's Challenge Cup semi-final, when he was caught on camera squeezing the testicles of the Bradford prop Sam Burgess. But the suspension leaves Pryce, who was also fined £300, clear to come back in the cup final against the Catalans Dragons on August 25.