Former Great Britain rugby league star Joe Lydon was appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union`s new head of performance and development on Wednesday.

Lydon will leave his post as Wigan Warriors performance director on December to oversee all Welsh rugby aspects outside the national squad and had been given a seat on the WRU`s executive board.

LONDON, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Castleford have threatened to start legal action against the Rugby Football League following the decision to deduct Wigan four points for breaching the salary cap.

The Tigers are angry that they were relegated from Super League last September when they finished three points below Wigan, who had only two points deducted for the same offence last season.

If the four point penalty handed down by the RFL this time had been implemented in the last campaign, Castleford would have stayed up.

WIGAN, England, July 25, 2007 (AFP) - Australia midfielder Josip Skoko has been given the green light to continue playing for Wigan after being handed a new work permit.

Skoko, 31, had agreed a new contract with the Premiership club during the close season but was unable to play until his work permit was ratified by the British Home Office.

The former Hajduk Split star had a successful hearing on Wednesday and he can now resume training with the Latics as they build-up to the start of the Premiership campaign on August 11.

LONDON, July 24, 2007 (AFP) - Fulham accepted an offer from Wigan for midfielder Michael Brown on Monday, according to manager Lawrie Sanchez.

Wigan are thought to have offered around two million pounds for the 30-year-old, who will now discuss personal terms with the Latics.

Sanchez`s swoop for Aston Villa`s Steven Davis has made Brown surplus to requirements at Craven Cottage and he confirmed his Wigan counterpart Chris Hutchings had made an acceptable bid.