Four tries from veteran fullback, Paul Wellens, powered Saints to victory over the Salford City Reds as the Merseyside outfit kept up the pressure on league-leaders, Wigan Warriors.

It was the perfect antidote to World Cup blues … and not a vuvuzela to be heard.

I’d put this signing somewhere on a par with Andy Farrell’s departure to Saracens at the fag-end of an epic league career; let’s hope for the Crusaders sake that Thomas can make more of a impact in Wrexham than Farrell managed in an injury bedevilled spell at Watford though.

The RFL delivered a swift and none too diplomatic “don’t call us we’ll call you” message to the ambitious Toulouse Olympique club Monday.

Widnes swept to a comprehensive 72-10 over newly promoted Keighley Cougars to open their 2010 Co-operative Championship campaign at the Stobart Stadium Halton. Centre Sean Grady scoring 32-points (3T,10G)

How ironic that after all the high-profile on-field antics that might have earned a career-threatening ban for Terry Newton, it a supposedly undetectable drug that finally trips up the controversial hooker.