Junior S'au Races to Save Boy

Photo: Graham Crowther

A horrified family appeal for help as a boy is crushed in his seat as fighting broke out in the stands at a rugby league match on Monday.

The brawl happened at a First Utilities Super League match between the Salford Red Devils and Huddersfield Giants at the West Yorkshire club's John Smith's Stadium.

A small group of Salford fans are said to have caused trouble throughout the game, including refusing to throw the ball back, and began arguing and fighting with stewards at the final whistle, with women and young children getting caught up in it.

Players from Salford, including New Zealander Junior S'au, rushed over to the stand apparently in response to cries for help from their own family members. S’au grappled with one man before pinning him to the ground.

A fan club dedicated to Salford called Salford's Red Army added: “Events that proceeded today's game have no place at Salford or in Rugby League.”

The club apologised afterwards, tweeting: “We'd like to apologise for the behaviour of some of our fans today. We'll be working with @Gianrsrl to find those involved. We do not condone any behaviour of the sort.”

Salford won the match 24-22.

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Rugby League World Cup

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England and Australia will kick off the 14th World Cup at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday in the first game of a double-header in Cardiff.

The Kangaroos suffered a shock defeat by New Zealand in 2008, and the Kiwis are one of 14 teams in the competition, alongside debutants Italy and the USA.

There will be 28 matches in England, Wales, Ireland and France with the final at Old Trafford on 30 November.

Wales take on Italy in Saturday's second game in Cardiff.

Co-hosts Wales are in Group C, while Italy are in Group D, with the two groups of weaker nations playing each other to produce two quarter-finalists - a format designed to ensure every team in the competition has a chance of scoring tries and winning a game.

Three teams will also advance into the quarter-finals from each of groups A and B, containing the stronger nations.

The Azzurri - at 13th the second-lowest ranked team in the World Cup - stunned Steve McNamara's England men in a warm-up match, winning 15-14 in Salford.

But England will be boosted knowing they possess a pack containing the Burgess trio of Sam, George and Thomas from NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs, as well asGrand Final winner Sam Tomkins at full-back.

St Helens hooker James Roby insists the side are ready for the clash against eight-time champions Australia.

"We know we need to perform and we know we need to improve a hell of a lot," said Roby. "They've been a similar team for the last few years. We've played against them a number of times so we know what to expect.

"The NRL lads are playing against them week in, week out so they'll have a few things that we might not know and that can only help us."

Overwhelming favourites Australia, boast a team consisting of Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater who all play together for Queensland in the State of Origin.

Australia coach Tim Sheens is expecting an England backlash following the defeat by Italy.

"I know Steve will be disappointed but, to me, a side that's embarrassed is a dangerous side," said Sheens.

"I saw what I wanted to see, but, as far as the result is concerned, that's for England to worry about, not me. My concern is to make sure that we're on song for our first game."

New Zealand, in Group B with Papua New Guinea, France and Samoa, will be looking to emulate the success of five years ago when they picked up the trophy for the first time.

And they will buoyed by the late inclusionof dual-code international Sonny Bill Williams who won the NRL title with Sydney Roosters.

Williams is confident he can cope with the pressure of bidding to become the first player to win World Cups in both rugby league and rugby union.

"From the start of this season, there was a lot of pressure. I had everything to lose and the pressure was firmly on me," he said.

"I guess I kind of thrive on that. It gets the best out of me. I seem to be able to push that to one side and focus on all the little things."

Wales are making their third appearance in the tournament and coach Iestyn Harris expects his side to reach the quarter-finals.

"The crucial thing for us is to get out of the group," he said.

"We've got three difficult opponents. When you get through your group, then it's knockout football and that's where you want to be."

Scotland coach Steve McCormack hopes skipper Danny Brough of Huddersfield Giants can lead his side by example, with the Bravehearts set to face Tonga and Italy.

"You don't get the Man of Steel by not being a good player," said McCormack.

"We're not a team of superstars, but we're a team of really good players that work very hard together. Danny is at the head of that. He works exceptionally hard."

Ireland have been handed a tough group alongside England, Australia and Fiji, and coach Mark Aston said: "We haven't had the luxury of going to South Africa for a training camp but we're coming together.

"It's a case of blending individuals into a collective and the group are getting close."

World Cup groups

Group A: Australia, England, Fiji, Ireland

Group B: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, Samoa

Group C: Scotland, Tonga, Italy

Group D: Wales, Cook Islands, United States

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Rugby League World 2013

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Former players Martin Offiah and Gareth Thomas will be part of the Rugby League World Cup opening ceremony at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 26 October.

Offiah and fellow former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Gethin Jones, who will be hosting the event, will both be wearing their dancing shoes.

The pair will be doing the jive with their original TV show partners, Camilla Dallerup and Erin Boag.

The ceremony takes place before the England v Australia opening match.

As well as the Strictly Come Dancing-style show, Thomas will be dancing with 50 professional dancers and 500 dancers from local communities in Wales and south west England as part of a £1m project part-funded by the Arts Council England and Arts Council Wales.

The ceremony, which will also feature original music and specially designed lighting, will have more than 1,500 performers.

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Wales Suffer England Whitewash

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England racked up their biggest points tally against Wales to reach the final of the Autumn International Series and end their hosts' involvement.

England led 26-6 at half-time, debutant full-back Zak Hardaker scoring two of the visitors' five tries.

Josh Charnley, another debutant, bagged four tries as England ran riot after the break, finishing with 14 in all.

Wales having lost to France last week means next Saturday's England-France Test will be repeated in the final.

"I am very happy, we put into practice some of the things we wanted to do for large parts of the game," said England coach Steve McNamara.

"We had a couple of tough spells where we put ourselves under pressure but we showed we have got plenty of ability in the side and there are promising signs.

"It is really exciting to see players like Josh Charnley, Kallum Watkins and Jamie Jones-Buchanan - we have got some ammunition now.

"We have always been strong in other areas but I feel we are building some depth now. There is a lot more to come but we are moving in the right direction."

Leeds back Watkins touched down after only two minutes following a break by Kevin Sinfield but the referee adjudged the final pass was forward.

However, Ryan Hall did break the deadlock after nine minutes, making the most of a splintered Welsh defence and squeezing over in the corner.

A few minutes later Wales were exposed out wide again when Watkins off-loaded to Charnley and the Wigan winger went over for his first international try.

Leeds' Hardaker, in the side for the injured Sam Tomkins, scored under the posts following a break by Sean O'Loughlin before O'Loughlin grubbered through for Watkins, also making his international bow, to score next to the posts.

With 10 minutes left in the first half, Hardaker swerved through for his second try to effectively end the game as a contest, although a try by Christian Roets on the hooter gave the hosts a glimmer of hope.

That hope was snuffed out shortly after the restart when Hall scored his second try after a bullocking run by Gareth Hock.

Dan Fleming made the most of some weak tackling to score Wales' second try only for Gareth Ellis to hit back, barging over from close range after a kick was charged down.

Charnley bagged his second after good awareness by Watkins before Hock burst through again and passed inside for Rob Burrow to score his third international try.

Sinfield's conversion - the England skipper kicked 12 goals in total - brought up the half-century and Charnley, who has 31 tries in Super League this season, burrowed over for his hat-trick.

Leroy Cudjoe latched on to a speculative up-and-under to take England past their previous highest score against Wales, the 74-0 win at Doncaster in 2008, and Charnley scored his fourth from long range after another poor kick by the hosts.

Jones-Buchanan and Cudjoe scored late tries for Steve McNamara's side and England wil head into next weekend's match against the French at Craven Park in high spirits.

The Autumn International Series final will take place between the same two sides at Salford City Stadium on Saturday 10 November.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Wales: Moss, Kear, Channing, Roets, D. James, Jones, Seamark, J. James, Budworth, Kopczak, Lloyd, B. Evans, Flower.

Substitutes: Dudson, Fleming, Burke, Parry.

England: Hardaker, Charnley, Watkins, Cudjoe, Hall, Sinfield, Myler, Morley, McIlorum, Hill, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, O'Loughlin.

Substitutes: Burrow, Hock, Ablett, Mossop.

Att: 4,014

Ref: Theirry Albert (France).

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Wales Beat France in Autumn Series

Wales began their triangular autumn international series with defeat away to France in Lens.

David James put Wales ahead with an early try, but that was as good as it got for them as France hit back with three tries before half-time.

Romaric Bemba, Cyril Stacul and Thomas Bosc all scored in quick succession.

Wales need to beat favourites England in Wrexham next Saturday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the 11 November final in Salford.

Wales, led for the first time by Craig Kopczak, gave a debut to Wigan reserve Rhys Pugsley on his 18th birthday and silenced the 11,628 crowd at Stade Felix Bollaert by making a dream start, following a knock-on by France skipper Olivier Elima on his own 20-metre line.

Half-backs Danny Jones and Matty Seamark took full advantage, combining superbly to get James over for the game's first try with just 100 seconds on the clock.

Seamark's conversion made it 6-0 but France went on to dominate the rest of the half and fluffed two glorious try-scoring opportunities before finally opening their account.

Left winger Clement Soubeyras had a try disallowed for a forward pass from his centre Kevin Larroyer and right winger Mathias Pala dropped the ball from Bosc's high kick with the line at his mercy.

The misses began to look costly until the French struck with three tries in the last nine minutes of the first half.

Substitute Bemba won the race to Bosc's kick to the line to score with his first touch, full-back Stacul took the stand-off's pass and bounced off an injured Christian Roets to add a second and Bosc went over himself following a break by his half-back partner William Barthau.

Bosc added all three conversions to put his side into an 18-6 lead at half-time and France ought to have scored again early in the second half when Pala broke clear but Elima could not take the final pass.

Wales were reduced to 12 men on 50 minutes when Wigan prop Gil Dudson was sin-binned for a late tackle on Barthau that sparked a flurry of punches, and Bosc extended his side's lead with the resultant penalty.

However, the Welsh kept their line intact until Dudson returned for the last quarter and they attacked the French line with venom, although without managing to make another breakthrough.

SQUADS

France: J Baitieri, W Barthau, T Bosc, R Casty, C Stacul, V Duport, D Ferriol, K Larroyer, A Maria, G Mounis, M Pala, E Pelissier, S Raguin, S Mickael, (all Catalans Dragons), C Soubeyras, K Bentley (both Pia), T Gigot (Avignon), M Griffi (Lezignan), O Elima (Bradford).

Wales: Elliot Kear (Bradford Bulls), Ben Evans (Warrington Wolves), Mike Channing (London Broncos), Christiaan Roets, Rob Massam, (both North Wales Crusaders), Neil Budworth (Mackay Cutters, Australia), Danny Jones, Craig Moss (both Keighley Cougars), Matt Seamark (Wynnum Manley Seagulls, Australia), David James, Steve Parry, Joe Burke (all South Wales Scorpions), Jordan James (Salford City Reds), Gil Dudson, Ben Flower, Rhodri Lloyd, Rhys Pugsley (all Wigan Warriors), Dan Fleming (Castleford Tigers), Craig Kopczak (unattached).