Broncos farewell to Griffin Park,
Playoff hopefuls Wigan travel to Giants

Farewell match for Endacott

Former New Zealand coach Frank Endacott will be in charge of Widnes for the last time at London on Sunday, he has confirmed.

The 57-year-old Kiwi is only halfway through a two-year Super League contract but, with the Vikings now virtually certain to be relegated, he has made plans to return home.

"I arranged the flight the other day," he said. "I was holding off and holding off but then I thought I?m just kidding myself here. I would say, barring a miracle, this would be our last match this week."

Two clubs are being relegated this year to make way for the arrival of French team Les Catalans and Widnes will go down alongside bottom club Leigh if the National League One Grand Final winners meet the criteria for engage Super League.

Endacott has the chance to do his old club Wigan a favour in their last match for victory over the Broncos would enable the Warriors to grab the sixth play-off spot as long as they win at Huddersfield.

But the Vikings will be without a couple of former Wigan players in hooker Mark Smith and second rower Mick Cassidy.

Smith, the club?s only ever-present this year, underwent wrist surgery on Tuesday and, with Shane Millard also ruled out, Endacott is likely to turn to youngster Paul Crook for the hooking role.

Meanwhile, Endacott, who guided New Zealand to the 2000 World Cup final at Old Trafford, will return to work with the Auckland-based player-management company he owns jointly with former Salford player Peter Brown but he will not turn his back on coaching.

"I?ve been coaching for a long time now and I wouldn?t want to make any stupid statements," he said. "If I had said it after Wigan, I wouldn?t have been coaching Widnes.

"I?d be loathe to say I?ve retired but I?m certainly going to get right back into the player-management which I?ve had to put on hold for a year. Because of the conflict of interests, you can?t do both. My partner has been taking the burden, so I?ll get back to that 100%.

"It?s been another great experience, I love it over here. I get a real buzz out of it. The only thing I haven?t enjoyed has been the results. I?ve enjoyed my time at Widnes and the people have been fantastic."

London Broncos v Widnes Vikings, Griffin Park, Sunday September 18

London 18-man squad: Ablett, Bradley-Qalilawa, Dorn, Haumono, Highton, Hopkins, Kirke, Lucky Luisi, McLinden, Mateo, Mbu, Purdham, Smith, Stephenson, Sykes, Tookey, Wells, Temata.

Widnes 18-man squad: Connolly, Emelio, Hughes, Myler, O'Connor, J. O'Neill, Finnigan, Frame, Mills, Rowlands, Ballard, Nash, Crook, Viane, Alcock, J. O'Neill, Watts, Kerr.

Referee: P Bentham

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Wigan trio ruled out

Threequarters David Vaealiki and Martin Aspinwall have both been ruled out of Wigan?s final match of the regular season at Huddersfield on Sunday after being told they need knee surgery.

Aspinwall, who has been linked with a move to Huddersfield for next season, is likely to be out for two to three months with knee ligament damage.

Wigan include forward Danny Sculthorpe after an injury worry and hooker Wayne Godwin, who has missed the last five matches with a knee problem, in a match the Warriors need to win to keep alive their slim play-off hopes with Jerome Guisset and Bryn Hargreaves also featuring.

Aspinwall, who has been linked with a move to Huddersfield for next season, is likely to be out for two to three months with knee ligament damage.

Huddersfield v Wigan, Galpharm Stadium, Sunday Sept 16

Huddersfield 18-man: Reilly, O?Hare, Evans, De Vere, Thorman, March, Drew, Nero, Gene, S. Jones, Smith, Crabtree, Grayshon, White, Jackson, Hemingway, McDonald, Greenwood.

Wigan 18-man: Dallas, Carney, Orr, Moran, Guisset, Godwin, Tickle, Brown, Sculthorpe, Wild, Hansen, Allen, Beswick, Coyle, Hargreaves, Tomkins, Gleeson, Jewitt.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick