Clarke pledges rest of his playing days to Warrington

Jon Clarke, who battled his way to his first two Great Britain caps this autumn, has pledged his future to Warrington.

The versatile Clarke played at hooker in two victories over New Zealand and was due to come out of contract at the end of 2008. He has now agreed a three-year extension that will keep him with the Wolves until 2011, by which time he will be 32.

"I think this contract will see me through to the end of my playing days," said the former Wigan and London Broncos player.

Huddersfield have signed Danny Kirmond, who played on the wing in the Featherstone side that beat Oldham to win last season's National League 2 Grand Final, on a two year contract. Kirmond, aged 22, was a free agent after rejecting Rovers' offer of a new deal and was interesting a number of clubs.

"It was simply too good an opportunity for us to turn down," said the Giants' managing director, Richard Thewlis. "He's an enthusiastic young British prospect. He is an athletic player who has the opportunity in the full-time environment to achieve his potential, so we are really looking forward to working with him."

Rugby league is to be played in the City of London for the first time when the capital's two professional clubs meet in a pre-season game. Harlequins and London Skolars will play on 22 January at Artillery Gardens, home of the Honourable Artillery Company, in the heart of the financial centre.

There will be another instance of the code in unlikely places that month when the RAF fly to Jamaica to encourage the growth of the game there by playing the newly-formed national side.

The Melbourne Storm, meanwhile, who meet Leeds at Elland Road in the World Club Challenge on 29 February, are to play Halifax in a warm-up game a week earlier.