England Rugby Union plans daring raid

England's rugby union authorities are reportedly planning an audacious move to persuade two of the country's biggest rugby league stars to switch codes in time for the 2007 World Cup.

The League Correspondent claimed the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was engaged in secret talks with Great Britain captain Andy Farrell and his fellow international Kris Radlinski.

The Wigan duo were reported to have been offered financial packages worth up to NZ$500,000 a year if they agree to follow Jason Robinson, the current captain of the England XV, and switch codes.

The Correspondent said the proposed deal would be jointly funded by the RFU and Premiership club Sale, for whom the two players would begin playing next season.

Wigan were predictably quick to pour water on a report suggesting they could be about to lose their two biggest assets.

"We know absolutely nothing about it," a spokesman said. "In fact, the first thing we knew about it was when we picked up the papers this morning."

Sale signed Robinson from Wigan four years ago but the capture of 29-year-old Farrell, the international player of the year in 2004, would arguably represent an even bigger coup.

Radlinski, 28, rejected a big-money offer from the RFU in the northern summer of 2001 and signed a new five-year contract.

Farrell is currently sidelined by a knee injury he suffered in Great Britain's Tri-Nations final defeat by Australia in November and will miss this weekend's start of the Super League season.