PROP forward Craig Booth today attributed his Highland fling to a more up front approach.

The 28-year-old revealed a renaissance in his enjoyment of the game since joining York Rugby League Club and shifting from the second row.

And Booth is hoping his consistent season will bring a hat-trick of rewards - promotion for the Wasps, a place in the Scotland squad and a new contract at Huntington Stadium.

"I am playing for a new contract for next year. If we get promotion this year then I don't want to leave the club. I feel now I have got another four or five years in me at prop," said Booth.

"Last year I was in the second row but I am absolutely loving it at prop and wish I had done it three or four years ago."

The former Hunslet and Oldham player is eager to emerge from a three week mid-season break in fiery fettle.

The 28-year-old, selected for Scotland with captain Stuart Flowers, joined Second Division foes and Super League stars at a recent squad get-together.

Booth remains upbeat about his chances of selection in the final squad. "I hope so, I can't see why not. From what I saw there were not many forwards at training," he said.

Missing out on coach Bill McGinty's squad will not be the end of the road for Booth or Flowers, with the surplus players on standby in case of injury and loss of form.

Scotland are preparing for a triangular tournament in November, facing France in Perpignan on November 11 and Ireland in Glasgow on November 18. RIDICULOUS kick off confusion continued on to match day at Batley. Pre-match word was that the kick off would be changed to 3pm to ensure York and Batley gained no advantage over White Rose rivals Bramley.The alteration was put out by the Press Association and made it onto Teletext, despite the RFL and Batley insisting it remained at 3.15pm.At around 2.30pm on Sunday, Bulldogs boss David Ward visited referee Peter Taberner to clear up the start time. Taberner's response was "it said 3pm on Teletext".Ward's reply, which can't be printed in a family newspaper, implied he thought 3.15pm was a better idea and the match duly started at that time.THE wrath of winger Leigh Deakin was unleashed on Wasps Watch in an unpleasant Mount Pleasant moment. The club's leading scorer gave yours truly both barrels at Batley for awarding him a mark of six for his performance against Doncaster Dragons. But Deakin's protests - not the first time he has questioned the marking system, I might add - were given the shortest of short shrift.Indeed team-mates Paul Darley and Craig Booth - who incidentally top the marks table - both urged a mark of four or less for Deakin's display against the Bulldogs.BATLEY Bulldogs got their own back on the Rugby Leaguer in their programme last week after the weekly mag carelessly mixed up their pictures of coach David Ward and former chairman Trevor Hobson.Under the legend 'Spot the real David Ward' were pictures of Winston Churchill, Napoleon, Mick Jagger, Hobson, Ward himself and Bruce Willis.First prize for correct entries? A free copy of Rugby Leaguer.CENTRE Craig Moore has called for television replays to explain his mystery leap against Bramley, captured by Evening Press photographer Mike Tipping.Team-mate Andy Hill is pictured being tackled left of centre but Moore, right, is seemingly leaping into an invisible long-jump pit.The man himself confessed to having "absolutely no idea" why he is sky high in the snap, but is seeking out a video of the game to solve the riddle.SECOND Division coaches, it seems, are a difficult breed to please. While Wasps boss Dean Robinson again bemoaned the standard of refereeing in the basement league, the programme notes of Batley coach David Ward pondered the promotion issue."It is a shame that only three teams will be promoted," he wrote, despite the generous notion that three from eight will go into the First Division. A KEEN rugby league fan made an era error when recording both teams in a notebook before last week's Mount Pleasant clash.The Batley supporter asked the assembled media whether it was correct that 'Steadman' was wearing the Wasps number 15 shirt. "If only" was the immediate reply. WEM-BER-LEY, Wem-ber-ley was the cry from the Batley dressing room after their White Rose Championship triumph over the Wasps. Sadly, their reward for reaching the Trans-Pennine Cup final is not quite as glamorous as a trip to the famous Twin Towers. The final venue is their very own Mount Pleasant.

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