Harris Opts for Featherstone Ahead of Wales

Iestyn Harris has resisted the temptation to return to Wales for a swansong season with the Super League newcomers Celtic Crusaders and will instead end his career at a lower level with Featherstone.

The 32-year-old stand-off, whose contract with Bradford expired after the Bulls' play-off defeat by Wigan last Friday, is set to link up again with Daryl Powell, a former Leeds and Great Britain team-mate who was appointed coach of the National League One club last week.

"I've had a good chat with Iestyn although there are still a few loose ends to tie up," said Powell, who is also expected to sign the Scotland hooker Andrew Henderson from Castleford as Rovers aim to step up their bid for a Super League license when they are next handed out in 2011. "The club's goals are pretty ambitious and their plans for the future are outstanding."

Harris, who has played in two Super League grand finals with Bradford since returning north from Welsh rugby union in 2004, had been strongly linked with Huddersfield as well as the Bridgend-based Crusaders.

St Helens and Leeds each hope to have a player returning from long-term injury in Friday's qualifying semi-final, when the first place in this year's Old Trafford grand final will be at stake. Saints will give a fitness test tomorrow to Jason Cayless, their New Zealand prop who has been out for a month with knee-ligament damage, while the 20-year-old wing Ryan Hall is back in contention for Leeds after recovering from a foot injury.

The two teams' dominance was reflected yesterday when they each had five players included in the Engage Dream Team - including seventh appearances for the Saints hooker Keiron Cunningham and the Leeds forward Jamie Peacock.

Engage Dream Team: Greenshields (Catalans); Gardner (St Helens), Gidley (St Helens), Carmont (Wigan), Donald (Leeds); Pryce (St Helens), Burrow (Leeds); Graham (St Helens), Cunningham (St Helens), Peacock (Leeds), Ellis (Leeds), Westwood (Warrington), Sinfield (Leeds).