St Helens have identified several coaches capable of taking over from Daniel Anderson, who indicated at the start of this year that he would be leaving Knowsley Road after four seasons and returning to Australia at the end of the 2008 campaign.

Eamonn McManus, the club’s chairman, said: “Daniel’s done a phenomenal job to date and I’m sure he’s going to have one more great season as his swansong. Four years is about right for a coach and we’ve the luxury of knowing in advance that we have to find a new one. Daniel’s not the sort of coach who will hinder us. He will help with the process and transition.

“We’ve identified three or four coaches who we think are the right calibre. It’s a little early to go to the closing stages because they are contracted elsewhere for at least one more year, but, during the course of next year, we’ll evolve that.”

David Howell, the 24-year-old Canberra Raiders threequarter, has agreed a two-year contract with Harlequins, who made him their fourth addition after the signings of Danny Ward, Gareth Haggerty and Dwayne Barker. Howell, who scored 15 tries in 48 appearances for Canberra and was described as a “well-kept secret in Australia” by Brian McDermott, the Harlequins coach, is a like-for-like replacement for Paul Sykes, who has joined Bradford Bulls.

Melbourne Storm will be without Greg Inglis, the Australia wing and man of the match in their NRL Grand Final victory over Manly Sea Eagles, for the Carnegie World Club Challenge against Leeds Rhinos at Elland Road on February 29 after a fall at home left him requiring shoulder surgery.

Brian McClennan, the new Leeds coach, rates Inglis as one of the top three players in the world. “You always want to test yourselves against the best,” McClennan said. “It’s a shame he won’t be playing.”

The RFL has scotched reports of a 16-team world club championship involving engage Super League and NRL clubs in 2009, the idea of an advertising agency that an RFL spokesman described as a non-starter.