Rugby League: Another tug of war over Paul brothers for Anzac test

By PETER JESSUP

Yes, all parties in rugby league made new-century pledges of peace and goodwill after the wars of the 90s; yes, there is an agreement that all club players are available for internationals, and yes, Bradford are again refusing to release the Pauls for the Anzac test.

Chris Paisley, chairman of the club and of the England Rugby League, has just written to his New Zealand counterpart Gerald Ryan to say that the English clubs do not regard the Anzac game as a true international since it is not part of the agreed "international window" in October and does not form part of the tri-series or World Cup programme.

Players like Henry and Robbie Paul will not be released for the game, Paisley's letter advised.

Ryan, one of four board members of the Rugby League International Federation, has called an urgent meeting of his fellows in Sydney in a fortnight to resolve the issue.

"We're not going to let them get away with it. If it's good enough for New Zealand soldiers to go to the other side of the world to defend the Motherland surely to God they can release our players for a game to commemorate the event," Ryan said.

Under an agreement hammered out by the 12 major league-playing nations who attended the last RLIF meeting in Auckland in October last year, all clubs are required to release any player selected to represent his country a minimum of five days prior to the game.

Ryan said he believed he would gain the support of fellow RLIF board members John McDonald and David Gallop of Australia and Sir Rodney Walker from England to haul Paisley into line.

"It [the October agreement] is not a piece of paper to be ripped up. We'll go to war over this."

The Pauls have reiterated their intention to play.

Ryan hoped Kiwi coach Frank Endacott, whose Wigan contract includes a stipulation he come back for the Anzac game, will be able to pull strings in England.