York Wasps RL Club were expecting Welsh three-quarter Max Ryce to sign for the club this afternoon.

The club made the former Rhymney rugby union player an offer that will keep him at Huntington Stadium until the end of 2001 and Ryce was travelling north from his home in South Wales today to sign on the dotted line.

"We have agreed terms with Max, so it is just a case of him signing the forms," confirmed Wasps chief executive Ann Garvey.

"Max has done well in his trial period with us and a lot of people are very excited that he is joining us."

Ryce had trials with Super League outfits London Broncos and Wigan Warriors before coming to York and he is eager to make the grade in the 13-a-side code.

Certainly his performances over a month of training and trial run-outs give every indication he will progress and he made his mark last Sunday when he scored two tries in the Wasps 26-18 win at Lancashire Lynx.

The Wasps Academy programme kicks off on Sunday when their opening fixture, at home to the Lynx, will act as the curtain-raiser for the first team's Home Northern Ford Premiership clash with Barrow Border Raiders.

Academy coach Dean Thomas has had some work to do in preparing a new squad for the coming season but is confident his side can make a positive start to the campaign.

"The league have changed the rules so that players now qualify according to the academic year rather than the calendar year and that has meant that we have lost a few players," explained Thomas.

"However, we have picked up some good young players from all three local amateur clubs - Heworth, New Earswick and Acorn - and we have got the guys ready both fitness-wise and with a game-plan.

"It is exciting for the boys to be playing their game as a curtain-raiser to the main game on Sunday, and we are just looking forward to getting off to a winning start."

The Academy fixture against Lancashire Lynx will kick off at noon.

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