KIWI superstar Robbie Paul will help make the draw on Wednesday for the prestigious York Golden Jubilee Rugby League Festival.

The 26-year-old Bradford Bulls hero, regarded as one of the best players in the world, will be joined by Matt Adamson from Super League rivals Leeds Rhinos.

The event, backed by the Rugby Football League and City of York Council, is being hosted by Heworth ARLFC and will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3.

Given an English Civil War theme, the festival features 16 teams from Ireland, the UK and France, including a York select squad called the Ironsides in honour of the city's history in support of Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads during the Civil War.

The teams will play for the Fairfax Cup, named after Roundhead commander Lord Fairfax, who petitioned King Charles I at Heworth 360 years ago.

The nine-a-side tournament is a first for rugby league and is getting the backing of the game's big-guns, with both Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos pledging support.

Three of the teams - Cork, Glasgow and a South Asia select team from West Yorkshire - all sport the "Bulls" moniker, and Bradford captain Paul, 26, said: "Grass roots rugby league plays a big part in what Bradford Bulls are all about and the fact there are so many teams affiliated to the Bulls by name will ensure our supporters get right behind the tournament as well."

Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "This festival is a marvellous concept and will interest all followers of the game.

"It is refreshing to bring RL teams from all over the British Isles and France together and as a resident of York I can think of no better place to stage the event. Rhinos players will be there to lend support and I am sure many of our fans will want to be part of this historic and unique occasion."

The tournament will see the teams split into groups of four. The top two teams in each group after round-robin matches will qualify for the quarter-finals.

Wednesday's draw for the group stage will take place live on BBC Radio across Yorkshire from BBC North headquarters in Leeds.

It is being staged in association with magazine Rugby League World and will be held live on BBC Radio Leeds' Nitesport programme between 7 and 10pm on Wednesday, presented by John Boyd.

The 16 teams taking part are York Ironsides, Belfast, Cardiff Demons, Cork Bulls, Dublin Blues, Edinburgh Eagles, Glasgow Bulls, Les Hussards de Paris, FC Lezignan-Corbieres, London KooGas, North Wales Coasters, Royal Air Force, Army, Royal Navy, South Asia Bulls and Teesside Steelers.

Updated: 11:32 Monday, April 08, 2002