Rugby League: Gardner wanted

BILL GARDNER, who has yet to coach Sheffield Eagles in a competitive match, has pledged to stay at least a year before succumbing to the temptation of a plum job in his native Australia, writes Dave Hadfield.

Gardner arrived in England on a two-year contract only five weeks ago, but is already being head-hunted by the Queensland Crushers, who enter Australia's Winfield Cup in 18 months. 'I have had an approach to see whether I would be available,' he said. 'If they were to ask me to go home and start with them in 1995, it would be a question of whether I could negotiate a release. But I won't be going anywhere for 12 months and possibly longer.'

Gardner is going back to his old club, Brisbane Broncos, to sign the 19-year-old wing or centre, Chris McKenna. Sheffield have a gap on their overseas quota following Garry Jack's appointment as player-coach at Salford. David Fraisse, the French centre or full-back, does not count as an overseas player for quota purposes.