Paper Talk: Toronto contact Cipriani, Warrington to sign Championship star & London eye trio

Drew Darbyshire 12 Aug 2019 9:27 AM

The transfer deadline might have ended last Friday, but gossip continues in the papers as clubs prepare for the 2020 season.

Toronto contact Cipriani

Toronto Wolfpack want to bring English rugby union international Danny Cipriani to rugby league, report League Weekly.

Toronto have approached Cipriani about crossing codes and joining the club in 2020, according to League Weekly. The 31-year-old has earned 16 caps for England in the 15-aside code and has played for Premiership clubs Wasps, Sale Sharks and Gloucester as well as Super Rugby outfit Melbourne Rebels.

Warrington to sign Championship star

Warrington Wolves are close to completing the signing of Championship sensation Matty Ashton, report League Express.

The Swinton Lions winger or full-aback has emerged as one of the most exciting players outside Super League since bursting onto the scene this year, scoring 23 tries in 21 games for the club after they signed him from amateur side Rochdale Mayfield. The Wolves are set to complete a move to bring the 21-year-old to the Halliwell Jones Stadium for 2020, according to League Express.

Agar and Carr the men for Leeds

Leeds Rhinos are looking no further than Richard Agar and Featherstone Rovers boss Ryan Carr who is assisting him for their permanent coaching roles, report League Weekly.

It is doubtful the Rhinos will make an announcement while things are going so well, but the incumbent duo are firming up as the likely direction for 2020, according to League Weekly. London Broncos head coach Danny Ward had previously been linked with the job that was vacated by Dave Furner earlier this year.

NRL duo favourites for St Helens job

Two men are considered joint-favourites to be the next St Helens coach, as chief executive Mike Rush returns from Australia with a shortlist of contenders to present to the Saints board, report League Express.

Rush has spent the past week Down Under interviewing a number of candidates, and he will this week deliver what he believes to be the strongest shortlist. League Express suggest Tonga coach and Newcastle Knights assistant Kristian Woolf and South Sydney Rabbitohs assistant Jason Demetriou are favourites to be the successor of Gold Coast Titans-bound Justin Holbrook.

Three newbies in at London

Rhys Curran, Josh Walters and Tuoyo Egodo will join London Broncos ahead of the 2020 season, report League Weekly.

Back-rower Curran, 30, has played over 60 games for Toulouse Olympique and has earned three caps for France. Back-rower Walters, 24, has played 20 games for Featherstone Rovers since joining from Leeds Rhinos and centre Egodo, 22, has made almost 20 appearances for Castleford Tigers since 2017. According to League Weekly, all three players will ply their trade in the capital in 2020.

Forward wants to stay at Leeds

Leeds Rhinos forward James Donaldson admits he’s hoping for some good news in the next couple of weeks regarding a new deal with the club, report League Express.

The Cumbrian has been a regular in the Leeds side this season, having made over 20 appearances since signing a one-year contract ahead of 2019. Donaldson told League Express: “I’m enjoying my time here and I don’t want it to end, so hopefully I’ll get some good news over the next couple of weeks.”

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