Wigan issue ultimatum to RFU

Wigan have told the Rugby Football Union they had until the end of this week to complete the cross-code transfer of Andy Farrell.

Wigan owner Dave Whelan issued the ultimatum in a bid to bring some finality to the ongoing saga over the Great Britain rugby league captain’s future.

It is now nearly a month since the RFU announced they were in talks with Wigan skipper Farrell who, were he to change codes, would follow a path already trodden by the likes of Jason Robinson and Henry Paul.

But the future of the 29-year-old loose forward, out until mid-May with a knee injury, has been in limbo ever since and Whelan has had enough.

“We have given the RFU a deadline,” Whelan said.

“The RFU are notorious for letting things like this drag on. It’s been going on for more than two weeks now and still nothing has been decided.

“If, by the end of the week a decision has not been made one way or the other, we will pull the rug on the deal. It’s as simple as that.

“We can’t afford to have things like this dragging on.”