Paper Talk: Widnes eye Tangata, Wakefield chase Reynolds, Australia to snub GB Lions
There is a lot of transfer gossip in the latest papers.
Widnes eye Tangata
Widnes Vikings’ rebuild for 2019 is set to continue with the signing of Halifax front-rower Adam Tangata, report League Express.
The Cook Islands international will be joined by Anthony Gelling as well, League Express suggest. Tangata has been at Halifax since 2015 and has previously expressed his desire to play in Super League. He may want to help the Vikings gain promotion at the first time of asking.
Australia to reject GB Lions
The Australians do not want a Great Britain team on their shores and will play Samoa at the end of the 2019 season to keep on encouraging the development of rugby league in the Pacific islands, report League Weekly.
The paper claims the Lions will still go Down Under but to New Zealand where they will play a Test against the Kiwis, as well as a Test against Tonga, Fiji or Samoa, and then they will travel to Papua New Guinea to face the Kumuls.
Wakefield complete Reynolds move
Wakefield Trinity are understood to have completed a swoop for Leigh Centurions half-back Ben Reynolds, report League Weekly.
The 24-year-old has attracted a lot of interest from clubs in Super League and the Championship in recent months. Leigh are cutting costs after failing to make The Qualifiers and will more than likely allow Reynolds to leave the club at the end of the season. It has also been reported that Wakefield are set to offer Jordan Crowther a new deal.
Catalans ponder Nou Camp invite
Catalans Dragons have been invited to play a Super League fixture at FC Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium next season, report League Express.
Dragons Bernard Guasch told League Express: “Barcelona have kindly invited us, Wigan have agreed and the Super League agrees, so we’re trying to find the date that best matches all parties in order to start promoting the game. The President of Barcelona has promised to help us fill the stadium with his socios (supporters’ group). We’re going to put everything in place now to make this event a success.”
Lam to Wigan not happening
Papua New Guinea star Lachlan Lam will not be moving to Wigan Warriors ahead of next season, report League Weekly.
The son of Adrian Lam, who will of course be Wigan’s head coach in 2019, is believed to have signed a lucrative new contract with Sydney Roosters and is being tipped to take over from Cooper Cronk when he retires.
Support rugby league in the media and subscribe to League Express or League Weekly, as well as checking out the regular coverage of the sport in The Mirror, The Sun, The Guardian and other national newspapers; the more you read, the more there’ll be.
