Wigan Look to Bring Back Walker

Chev Walker is ready to cut short his rugby union career, after less than a season with Bath, and Wigan are strong favorites to bring him back to the Super League.

England's union coach, Brian Ashton, identified Walker as a player with international potential when he helped to sign him in his previous role at Bath but the 24-year-old center has struggled to settle since moving south from Leeds on a two-year contract last November.

He made only eight Premiership starts last season and is now set to link up again with his former Great Britain coach, Brian Noble, at the JJB Stadium, although Hull Kingston Rovers are thought to be one of several other league clubs interested.

Keiron Cunningham will captain St Helens against Catalans at Wembley on Saturday in his sixth Challenge Cup final. Sean Long has previously been the vice-captain to Paul Sculthorpe, who is recovering from an achilles injury, but his appearances have been sporadic this season because of a niggling calf problem, leaving Cunningham, the only survivor of Saints' last Wembley appearance in 1997, to lead the side.

The Catalans received a major boost yesterday when Casey McGuire, the Australian stand-off who was a key figure in their semi final win against Wigan, passed an initial fitness test on the pectoral injury that has kept him out for the last fortnight. McGuire has been included in a 20-man squad to travel to London on Thursday.

Bradford suffered a savage double blow last night as their Australian forward Glenn Morrison was suspended for three matches and the New Zealand wing Tame Tupou for two following incidents in Sunday's defeat at Huddersfield. Morrison was found guilty of a dangerous high tackle while Tupou was sent off for punching. Bradford's anger was fueled as Huddersfield's prop Keith Mason received only a one-match ban despite being found guilty of butting.