EXCLUSIVE

By Mike Parsons

TOP prop Mark Hilton has pledged his future to Warrington until the year 2000.

The 21-year-old has agreed a one-year extension to his current Wilderspool contract.

Hilton is back to full fitness and returned to training with his Wire teammates this week in preparation for global Super League 1997.

While some Wire stars not surprisingly took holidays after Super League 1996, Hilton, nicknamed The Beast, got down to some serious work in the gym.

He dislocated his shoulder in the first tackle of Warrington's match at Sheffield in July and he has been determined to make sure it does not become a weak body point for him.

Hilton says: "In the month's break from club training I've carried on building up the strength in my shoulder and I'm happy that it is now stronger than it was before."

Warrington's signing of Tony Tatupu has not hit a contract snag, according to Wire football manager John Dorahy.

There had been reports of a 'hands off' warning from Auckland chiefs who were claiming that Tatupu had two years of his contract still to run.

But Dorahy said: "His contract with Auckland has run out but he does have a loyalty contract with Super League. By joining us, he remains within Super League so there is no problem."

Wire tourist Paul Sculthorpe is disappointed that there will be no extension to the current tour to take in a Test match against Australia.

He told me on Wednesday: "I would have loved to have had a crack at the Aussies but we've been told it would be too much of a rush to try and organise it at this point as some of their players are all over the world at the moment."

Scully made his full Test debut against Fiji on Saturday as the Lions roared to a record win margin of 72-6.

Sculthorpe said: "I was second or third highest tackler, I felt I had a decent game."

Wire's loose forward was in action with GB's Test side again yesterday, Thursday, as they drew 22-22 with a Lion Red XIII.

Their next game is against New Zealand XIII at Wellington on Tuesday, the final warm-up prior to the start of the three-match Test series with the Kiwis. Wire's Jonathan Roper has recovered from a knee injury and should be back for this one.

At the halfway stage of the tour, with three weeks still to run in New Zealand, Sculthorpe said he is revelling in the experience.

"Everything is brilliant, from the matches to the relaxation periods.

"We've won four out of four games (prior to yesterday), I went scuba diving in Fiji and here in New Zealand I'm hoping to go white water rafting. It really has been an adventure."

He added: "The weather is better for us here. It's just like in England - damp! It was nothing but shorts and T-shirts in Fiji and Papua New Guinea but this climate will suit our play better."

And there appears to be a good spirit in the camp too.

Scully said: "Neil Harmon is the joker. He has brought a load of masks with him -ugly, horrible things. The other night he got into Alan Hunte's bedroom while he was asleep, jumped on Hunty's bed and made him jump out of his skin."

Ian Knott and the Great Britain Academy party also arrived in New Zealand at the weekend, but Scully had not seen him prior to yesterday's game.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.