Rugby League Today: Thompson’s NRL debut, Rushton excited for NRL move & latest on pay cuts

A wrap up of the latest news in rugby league.

What’s on site

Where we we? How Super League was shaping up before lockdown.

The fixture list for the revised Super League season will not be announced until at least the middle of this week.

The RLEF have cancelled this autumn’s European Championship – but have re-scheduled the lower tier championships for next year.

Champions St Helens are the 5/2 favourites to win Super League with title sponsors Betfred, ahead of the competition’s restart next month.

The government has announced plans focused on the restart of team sports, but there will be no full-contact community rugby league until September at the earliest.

What’s in the papers

Six Super League clubs still agree to player pay cut terms ahead of return to training, reports the Mirror.

Luke Thompson enjoys Tevita Pangai Junior battle on NRL debut, reports St Helens Reporter.

Warrington star Tom Lineham promises to tame wild side to help Toby King shine, reports the Daily Star.

Wigan youngster Harry Rushton is excited about his “life changing” move to Canberra next season, reports Wigan Today.

Michael Shenton still planning for dream Super League grand finale with Castleford, reports Yorkshire Evening Post.

What’s on social

Morgan Escaré is looking forward to linking up with new club Salford.

Thank you for all the amazing messages overnight from the @SalfordDevils fans. I can not wait to meet my new teammates and to be able to pull on the shirt in 2021! I will be ready for it… hope you will be too!

— Escaré Morgan (@escare_morgan1) July 11, 2020

Happy birthday, Kieran Foran!

🍰 Happy Cake Day Foz!#proudtobeabulldog pic.twitter.com/1CPodmwW0Z

— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) July 13, 2020

What a kick!

The Adam Clune kick 👌#TelstraPremiership Moment of the Match #NRLDragonsManly pic.twitter.com/VWsEdg0HQx

— NRL (@NRL) July 12, 2020

What’s on TV/Radio

NRL Tonight – Watch NRL (9am)

NRL 360 – Watch NRL (9:30am)

Best of Matty Johns – Watch NRL (10:30am)

Former Super League and NRL forward Keith Mason is this week’s guest on The Last Tackle. He talks about his switch to the NRL at 20 as well as his new rugby comic – Rugby Blood.

Sky Sports’ Golden Point podcast is available to download now.

Podcast: The Final Hooter #4 – featuring rugby league royalty Ellery Hanley.

The latest Forty20 LIVE podcast is out now.

The latest 5 Live Rugby League Podcast is out now, hosted by Dave Woods.

Birthdays

Former New Zealand Warriors, Leeds and Wakefield favourite Ali Lauitiiti turns 41 today.

Also celebrating; Canterbury half-back Kieran Foran (30), Halifax winger Shaun Robinson (31) and USA international Casey Clark (30).

Trivia

There will be 16 nations competing in the men’s World Cup in 2021 – England, Samoa, France, Greece, Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, New Zealand, Lebanon, Jamaica, Ireland, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Wales and the Cook Islands.

Watch our Last Tackle podcast, featuring a guest, every week. SUBSCRIBE to Love Rugby League on YouTube.

Listen to The Final Hooter podcast, featuring exclusive interviews, every week. SUBSCRIBE to Love Rugby League on Apple Podcasts.