St Helens back rower James Bentley and Hull prop Lewis Bienek are among the new faces named in head coach Stuart Littler's first Ireland rugby league squad.

IRELAND coach Andy Kelly has included 13 Super League players in his 30-man training squad for next month’s Alitalia European Cup. The contingent is headed by prop Eamon O’Carroll and hooker Mick McIlorum but Warriors team-mate Pat Richards, one of Ireland’s heroes from their 2008 World Cup campaign, is not available.

About 300 jobs are set to be axed at two Fox’s Biscuits factories in northern England, it was announced today.

Ireland coach Andy Kelly has included six players from Widnes Vikings in his provisional 25-man squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Russia and Lebanon.