SUPER League is go! - at last.

Rupert Murdoch's shock victory in the appeal court has, in my opinion, saved the game of Rugby League from nose-diving down the slippery slope.

Let's be honest, no matter how much the Rugby Football League try to tell us otherwise, the first European Super League failed to live up to expectations.

With only a few clubs recording anything like decent crowds there were plenty of unanswered questions regarding the switch to summer.

After being promised a new era of rugby culminating in a star-studded World Club Challenge, we were all left bitterly disappointed when it had to be scrapped.

Now, the sky is quite literally the limit. A World Club Challenge involving every Super League side is on the cards. What a money-spinner it will be for the game over here. As well as Wigan, Warrington and St. Helens we will now see the likes of Salford, Oldham and Halifax get a taste of big time international rugby too.

This is the most exciting thing to happen to the game of League. It's a spine-tingling prospect for everyone who loves the game. If the spectators don't get behind the sport now they never will!!

I fear, however, that by bending over backwards to help Rugby Union in the last 12 months we may have lost some of our prize possessions.

I am reliably informed that Wigan stars Gary Connolly and Henry Paul have no wish to return to Rugby League when their winter stints with Harlequins and Bath respectively are over.

Is this a surprise? If they can get paid £5,000 a match for doing less, then why not?

Both, however, are still Wigan players and it would take a phenomenally wealthy club to buy out their contracts.

Speaking of Henry Paul, I am continually reading in the Press how he and brother Robbie are being lined up to play for England in the Five Nations Championship.

How is this so? I know they are eligible through their Liverpudlian grandfather but Henry has already represented New Zealand at League.

If he can play for England at Union then let's get him in an England League jersey for the World Cup next year!

Imagine a half back partnership of Henry and Robbie Paul, two of the most gifted players in world rugby, playing for England. The Aussies would be terrified!

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