Rugby League: Bell and Platt out with virus: Stalwarts missing

GRAEME WEST starts his second spell as caretaker coach of Wigan without two of the club's stalwarts in the Premiership quarter-final against St Helens. Dean Bell and Andy Platt, in their final month as Wigan players before joining the Auckland Warriors, are both suffering from a virus, writes Dave Hadfield.

Neil Cowie, left out of the Wembley squad, will replace Platt at prop, with two more who missed out, Joe Lydon and Paul Atcheson, in line to stand in for Bell.

West makes no bones about seeing this as his chance to stake a claim for the job on a permanent basis - if the word permanent retains much meaning in the week of John Dorahy's sacking.

Defeat for Saints would mean that Tea Ropati, also bound for Auckland, had played his last game for the club. They will be without Paul Loughlin with a groin

injury, but Jonathan Griffiths could return.

Leeds are without Ellery Hanley and Neil Harmon against Bradford Northern and give fitness tests to Garry Schofield and Jim Fallon before finalising their line-up.

Sheffield Eagles are in the First Division play-offs for the first time, but know their way to Old Trafford from two appearances in the Second Division final. 'It has always been a favourite place of ours and we would love to go back there for the First Division Premiership,' Gary Hetherington, their coach, said.

A two week rest has improved Sheffield's injury position, with David Fraisse, Anthony Farrell, Mick Cook, Bruce McGuire and possibly Daryl Powell all back at Warrington.

Workington, the Second Division champions will be on their guard against Rochdale Hornets, who almost wrecked their title ambitions by beating them during their run-in.

The administrator running Huddersfield has sacked the club's staff, including the team manager Alex Murphy, who hopes to be re-employed by the consortium which is poised to take the club over.